Jack's Helloween
by Leonora Chris
Summary: "Hello. I am Jack." It's halloween and they have a case. There's no way Tony could be the next victim of a serial killer. Right? While he needs for his team to be there for him, they all seem to have turned against him. And then there's surprising new friendship between him and Fornell... With all the arguing, can anyone save Tony before it's too late?
1. Finding Trouble The 'DiNozzo Way'

_**(I don't own NCIS or the characters etc from it, only the story is mine.)**_

**Ooookay. This is like... Really late that I'm posting this... REALLY late. Originally I would have put this one up before the halloween. But life happened and... I wasn't sure if I should even put this one up now, after all this time...**

**As it was requested I have now extra chapter at the end of the story, called Jack's Lost Chapter, which is about what happened between chapters one and two.**

_**Leo**_

* * *

><p><strong>- PART 1 -<strong>

**_(Finding trouble the 'DiNozzo way')_ **

You know that moment when you just _know_ something is going to happen? It's like that movie scene in the middle of the night. That eerie silence that's surrounding you and you can't help but keep looking over your shoulder. Just to make sure there are no ghosts or bloody men with their chainsaws following you.

Okay, perhaps not men with their chainsaws, but every shadow and every smallest sound makes your heart beat faster and you want to start running. It is during times like these when you can't help but wonder '_what on earth was I thinking? Why did I decide to take the shortcut through the cemetery of all the things?_' It's like the perfect set up for a horror movie. Just as you almost start laughing at the whole idea, the sound of something being dragged over the ground and a low singing voice cuts the quiet of the night.

The singing stops for a moment and although part of you knows it's stupid, you walk slowly closer. Knowing how this is almost like asking to be murdered, if there's any truth in the movies. However, a human nature is so painfully curious sometimes. Curious and stupid. And perhaps part of you is also wishing to prove yourself how your mind is only playing tricks.

The voice keeps singing that creepy song. Peeking from behind the tombstone where you are hiding, you see a darkly dressed figure lifting up something. You can't be sure what it is, but since your mind is already overthinking everything, you can't help but notice it is the size of a man.

Suddenly the singing stops and before you have time to react, the figure turns around and smiles at you. For some reason you feel like you're looking at the death himself, face to face. And then it talks to you.

"Hello."

Before you even know it, you find yourself running for life. Only stopping once you are in the safety of your own home. Locking the door, you also make sure all the windows are closed and lights and TV are on.

Next day you joke about it with your friends, but for a while you can't even imagine walking through that area. Not while it's dark anyway.

* * *

><p>"I hate halloween."<p>

"Yeah, Tony. We already heard that only a hundred times this morning." McGee said. He was trying to focus writing his next book.

"Sorry, sorry... It's just such a depressing time of the year." Tony muttered, leaning against his crossed arms on the desk.

"I do not wish to listen to you wine, Tony."

"_Whine_, Ziva."

"Yes. That is what I said." She looked confused.

"Never mind..." Tony muttered. He was not a fan of halloween. Thanks to certain memories from his childhood which he rarely visited, but today he'd been feeling especially down and gloomy. Even he didn't know the reason for his mood. Maybe it was the weather? The sun had been hiding for days now.

Gibbs strolled in the bullpen and his Agents looked at him hopefully. The morning had so far been painfully slow for all of them, with no new crimes in sight.

"Grab your gear. Dead Marine."

"Yes!" Tony jumped up. Seeing the look his boss was giving him, he grinned. Feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Not that there's anything good about a dead Marine, boss..." As usual, the head slap didn't come by surprise and he followed after Gibbs before anyone else did. He rubbed the back of his head.

"Really though... Boss, it _is_ halloween. I think it's abnormal how slowly this day has started. I mean, where are all the dead bodies? Where are all the psychopaths?"

Gibbs glared. Not that he would admit, but spending all morning with Vance and his 'friends' hadn't been something he had enjoyed doing either. So he had actually smiled the moment he got that phone call.

"FBI has 'em."

"Oh. Right..."

Tony smirked when Ziva and McGee missed their chance of getting in the elevator with them. Tough luck. They should know by now that Gibbs wouldn't be waiting. "So where are we going?"

"Cemetery."

* * *

><p>"Well... It <em>is<em> that time of the year again. Very much indeed..." Ducky sighed, shaking his head as he walked to the crime scene, Palmer not too far from him.

Tony was leaning slightly too close towards the victim, making Gibbs growl at him. "DiNozzo..."

"Sorry boss. Just observing, that's all." He shrugged and then took a picture of the victim's face.

"You know... At least it's not going to be a boring case. I mean, come on... Just look at this." He pointed at the obvious.

Their victim had been carefully laid on someone's grave. Whether it was randomly chosen one or not, they wouldn't know yet. The man was dressed in some type of halloween costume made for adults. Some kind of fairy. He even had a blond wig and tiara on his head and his face was painted to resemble Jack o' Lantern. But other than that, it was completely uninjured. Even clean almost. Rest of the man's body was a whole different deal though...

"Oh my... This poor man..." Ducky spoke as he rolled up the dress, uncovering the lower body. The victim's whole body was covered in cuts. All different shapes and sizes. Not something they weren't used to seeing by now. Around the man's stomach area however...

None of them were paying any attention to McGee who ran away from the crime scene, throwing up anything that there was to come out.

"Wow... This guy, _or a woman_, really knows his job..." Tony muttered. He stared at the fully sliced open stomach, stuffed with colorful candies and all the innards sticking outside. And as a 'icing on the cake', there were words cut in the chest. Clearly done after death since there was no bloody mess.

"I don't think I'll ever see '_trick or treat_' same way ever again..."

"I don't think _I'll_ ever eat any candies ever again..." McGee added as he returned to the crime scene, looking slightly green on his face.

"Really?" Tony tilted his head slightly, biting his tongue to not ruin his calm look by grinning. Years ago he would have reacted the same way as McGee had. And many times he had, but sadly he'd seen far too many things even worse than this, so he barely even got startled anymore.

"I'm actually feeling little hungry right now. Anyone wants some pizza or chinese after this, on me?"

"Shut up, Tony..." McGee muttered, but Ziva nodded.

"Maybe later." It was hard to tell whether she was affected by this at all. Perhaps not. 'Badass' ninja chick and all that.

"Did you know that the real origin of halloween was not fun and laughter? In fact even today there are some-" Ducky stopped talking after Gibbs barks at them to get back to work.

When they were moving the body, they noticed there's something tattooed on the man's back, with big bold letters.

"_Hello. I am Jack_." Tony read out loud before taking a picture.

"Gotta admit it, boss. This guy made our day a whole lot more interesting. Abby's gonna love this... Think she'd like to have a new picture on her wall? I'm honestly getting tired of seeing that current one each time I walk in the lab."

"Just get in the car..." Gibbs growled.

"On my way, boss!"

Gibbs kept walking, hiding his amusement at his Agent's childlike bouncing towards the car. Had it been anyone else making fun of his orders, they wouldn't have lasted too long time working with him. DiNozzo however...

"Hey, boss? What's your gut telling you right now?"

Gibbs stopped walking and looked serious. "What is it?"

Tony hesitated. "It's... Nah. It's nothing."

"DiNozzo... I _swear_, if it is something..."

Tony chuckled nervously and glanced over his shoulder. "It's just my nerves playing tricks on me. I thought someone was watching me and-"

"_What!_?"

"Really, Boss... Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I checked. No one was there. Besides, it _is_ halloween and I _might_ have let Abby make me watch some horror movies with her yesterday..."

"DiNozzo..."

"It was nothing and since your famous gut hasn't given you any warning signals either, it really was nothing."

Gibbs growled, but Tony kept walking before his boss could say anything. The bounce on his steps only a faint memory now.

The truth was, Gibbs's gut had been warning him about something since he woke up that morning, but it had been barely there so he had dismissed it as something he ate. Now however, he was back to worrying and also scolding himself for not having been more alert of their surroundings.

Watching from the hiding place, the dark figure observed them. With a gleeful smile, those gleaming eyes followed the next victim like a predator.

The case was soon after that taken by the FBI, once it was revealed this was part of several other similar cases through several years. Making the killer a serial killer. According to Gibbs, who had heard from Fornell, the case remained unsolved.

** _End of Part 1._ **


	2. 1 Year Later

**- PART 2 -**

**_(More or less 1 year later, a month before halloween) _ **

Opening the door to his apartment, Tony stepped inside. He was tired. Tired of this personal hell on earth which was sometimes called life. Dropping his bag on the floor, he didn't even bother putting on the lights as he was undressing for the shower which he'd been dreaming of for days now. He muttered a curse after hitting his hip painfully against something.

Putting the lights on in the bathroom, he stepped under the shower. Hot water burned his skin, turning it soon bright red, but he barely even noticed it. Sitting down he leaned his head against the tiles which were still cold and he wished the steaming hot water could wash away the past year in his life. Maybe his whole life. Just so he wouldn't have to think about anything for a while. He was tired of even thinking anymore.

It seemed like everyone were trying to get their piece of him. Like he was nothing but some piece of meat to be passed around. Once again he'd been framed. Once again someone had tried to put the blame of some murder on him. Although his name had been _finally_ cleared, no thanks to his 'team members', it had taken much longer than usual. Much longer than it should have. He couldn't help but wonder if had Gibbs been there, would he too have simply given up on him? Like McGee and Ziva did? Would he also have willingly handed over the case for the FBI? Come to think of it... Shockingly it had been this time _Fornell_ who took pity on him. Even _Slacks_ of all the people had worked to clear his name and not the opposite.

Letting out a muffled cry, he laughed. His own people turned their backs on him when he very easily could have been a given death sentence had his name _not_ been cleared. And even if it would have been 'just a lifetime in a prison', with his luck he would have most likely ended up in the middle of the guys he had put away during all these years. Starting from when he had become a cop. Either way, he would have been a dead man.

McGee and Ziva... He was honestly not surprised by those two. After all it was hardly the first time they had played with his safety and life on the field... Did they really wish for his death that much or were they just _that_ incompetent? Was it really that hard to follow the chain of command the way it was meant to be or was it this way only with him? Was he such a bad leader?

And Abby... He could not believe _she_ would really believe he could do something so gruesome as murdering that innocent kid... He had figured that after Gibbs's '_gone-back-gone and then back again_' Mexico fiasco, she'd have started treating him like a human being again. Someone with real feelings, just like everyone else. Now that he looked back... They never had gotten back their old relationship after that last time, after Mexico, and now she was back to her '_you're not Gibbs_' childish whining and tantrums. Not to mention that personal '_Gibbs shrine_' she always put up on her lab wall. Plastering the wall with pictures of the old man and in general treating him as if he were a god and not a man full of faults which should not to be looked up to.

After he was released by the FBI, he didn't go to the Navy Yard and didn't call anyone. Not even Ducky and Jimmy. He wasn't sure how _they_ were feeling about all of this. Had they too started finally doubting him..? He didn't even dare to call them now that he was finally free, but figured that his little break before returning to work would be much needed and without anyone either making life even harder for him or wanting to know how he was doing. So for a little while at least he was happy to let everyone think he wasn't even home yet.

"God, I'm so tired..." He sighed and stood up as the water started getting cold.

Walking naked through the darkness in his bedroom, he got himself fresh pair of pants and a shirt to wear. Not caring if they matched or not. So tired and lost in his thoughts, he never noticed the movement in the darkness, but then he frowned. Thinking for a moment that he saw the shadows smiling at him.

Furrowing his brows and shaking his head at the ridiculous thought, he walked in the living room. Under the lights coming from his windows, he felt no need to put on the lights anywhere in his apartment. It felt good and calming this way. Almost like he was in some alternate universe and not in the real world full of troubles. If only it would last...

Sitting behind his grand piano, he was thinking for a moment what to play. Something that was perfect for his mood. _Moonlight Sonata_... _Beethoven_.

Closing his eyes, he started to play from his memory and by then he was so focused in the music and in the world other than this, that he didn't notice anything else. He didn't want to. Times like these were his only moments of freedom so he willingly blocked out everything else. A sound, a glass breaking against the floor, was what finally brought him out of the trance. Opening his eyes, he had to close and open them several times, to make sure he wasn't just imagining things. Laughing nervously, he stood up slowly.

"Okay. You got me... Come on guys! You can come out now!" He got no answer.

Somehow all the windows had been covered with heavy and dark curtains, and had they always been blood red? Now the whole room, and probably the entire apartment, really was dark. Well, expect for that eerie light, thanks to those candles all over the room. And there were red roses on top of the piano. How had he not seen all of that? Dark or not.

"This isn't funny, you know. I swear, if this is some kind of joke, the payback is going to be _much_ worse than some simple superglue." He tried to keep his voice steady, but he couldn't help that he was feeling creeped out. It was like one of those scenes straight out of his childhood nightmares. The only things missing were the canopy bed and a vampire looming in the dark corner somewhere.

He took another step when he heard a sound. "Probie? Ziva..? Abby? Are you still mad at me?"

His mind was already so tired that he didn't notice the shadows moving again until he felt something sharp pierce his skin. Whatever he'd been pierced with, it worked fast and made his knees go weak. He felt someone easing him gently on the floor and then brushing hair off his face, but he couldn't be sure of anything anymore as he was slowly losing his consciousness.

* * *

><p>"...ozzo? Come on now... Open your eyes..."<p>

Tony squinted his eyes and slowly opened them, finding himself staring straight in the eyes of Gibbs. He frowned, feeling strangely disoriented. "Boss..? What are you doing here..? Thought you'd be gone for at least another week in that 'secret mission' of yours."

He had tried keeping the bitter tone away, but some might still have slipped through since Gibbs was looking at him oddly.

"That week is already gone, DiNozzo. I came back yesterday morning and since you weren't at work today, no one knew where you could be and I couldn't reach you with the phone either, so I decided to come by and see if you're alright." Gibbs was feeling concerned when his Agent just kept staring at him. Looking as if he barely even registered anything that was being told.

Blinking his eyes, Tony noticed it was bright in the room and not dark or creepy. "Wait... Where..? Where am I..?"

"In your own bedroom. You worried me and even my gut has been giving me hard time for _weeks_, but what do I find when I come to see you? You're sleeping like a baby." Gibbs didn't know whether to be angry or amused. He couldn't find it in himself to scold the man though. Not after what he'd found out had happened during the time he was away working outside the country, so he couldn't have done anything about it had he known. And still there was too many things he didn't know.

Tony frowned at the answer. His bedroom? No. That wasn't possible. The last thing he remembered was... "Roses! Boss! Was there any roses in my living room? Candles all over the place?"

Gibbs gave him a funny look. "No. There was no... _DiNozzo_... If you slept in because you had a girl over..."

"Boss... You know me better than that... At least you used to..." Tony spoke the last part so quietly that Gibbs almost missed it.

Tony tried to remember really hard. How come he had no memory of a whole week? Or was it really all just one crazy dream? Knowing how messed up and tired he had been after getting home, it was no wonder...

"Tony? You feeling alright?" Gibbs was starting to worry again and his gut was for some reason still churning like crazy. Which was the reason why he had stormed to Tony's place like it was a matter of life and death.

"I'm fine..." Tony muttered and he sat up. Somehow his whole body felt so heavy. Standing up he regrets it immediately as the world tilted. Strong arms came around him and hauled him back on the bed.

"Sorry... I'm-"

"Don't you _dare_ say that you're fine, DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled.

"Boss. I just stood up too fast and I'm not sure when I ate last time." Tony left out the fact that he couldn't even remember the last seven to eight days. Maybe more. Or maybe _this_ was actually just a dream he was seeing? And soon he would wake up.

"Idiot... Stay here!" Gibbs growled again. Leaving Tony in his bedroom, he went to see if there was anything in the younger man's fridge to make something to eat.

Of course the only food that there was, was covered in some kind of weird fuzzy mold. Part of it was looking green and purple. He was pretty sure it had to be some special '_DiNozzo's fridge only_' kind of mold. He wasn't even trying to identify what it had once been. Throwing the unknown piece of something in the trashcan, Gibbs took out his phone and with a sigh he ordered some chinese. At the same time he was making a mental note to take the man to some _serious_ grocery shopping.

Returning in the bedroom, he frowned when he saw the frown on Tony's face as he was just sitting there on his bed and staring at the wall. The way his shirt was hanging loose over his frame spoke loudly about the man's eating habits lately. Gibbs sat next to the man who seems bit startled by it, but maybe he was just imagining it.

"Tony... Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's wrong." Tony spoke in monotone voice.

"_DiNozzo_..."

"What do you want from me, Gibbs? Nothing's wrong, other than me forgetting to eat. It happens. You know how the work can get sometimes. So why do you still insist that something is wrong? Do you _want_ something to be wrong?" He snarled between his teeth. Bitterly.

"Tony... Of course I don't-"

"I need a shower."

Feeling useless, Gibbs watched as Tony stood up. He was swaying a little, but this time staying up on his feet, Tony made his way in the bathroom.

Stripping off his clothes, Tony stared at his face in the mirror. If he had indeed just slept through the whole week, who had been shaving his face then? Shivering, he suddenly desperately felt he needed to get warm. Turning his back towards the mirror, he stepped under the shower.

Before the steam covered the mirror, it reflected backwards the tattooed big and bold letters on his upper back: **'_Hello. I am Jack_.'**

* * *

><p>Driving towards the grocery store both men remained silent and for a change Gibbs was driving way below his usual driving speed. They hadn't spoken while eating the chinese food either. Although Gibbs had made sure Tony ate everything on his own plate, hoping the man wouldn't end up throwing it all up.<p>

"Boss... Do you remember that halloween case last year? The one which Fornell stole from us? Do you know if they still haven't found the murderer?"

Gibbs grunted as it still irritated him to lose that one. "As far as I know, no. They know nothing new. Why?"

Tony frowned, thinking about the impossible to miss black letters on his back. "No... Nothing. Just wondering..."

"If you know something..."

"I was just wondering since it's almost halloween again."

Gibbs shook his head just barely and smiled fondly. DiNozzo was almost as bad as he was when it came to work. "Just let it go, DiNozzo. There's nothing we can do. It's Fornell's problem now. His headache. We've got plenty of our own."

"Right..."

"Tony. While I was gone... Did anything..?"

"Other than me being framed as a murderer, _again_? Nothing else happened. In fact, Fornell treated me like some special guest at their place for a change. He and I have gone a long way since the early days. Gotta say it, boss. They've got some way fancier stuff than we do."

"And them?"

"Them?"

"Don't play games with me, DiNozzo. You know who I am talking about! Ziva and McGee. Why weren't they working on your case?"

Tony laughed humorlessly. The sound of it cut deeply for some reason. "Why are you asking _me_? Shouldn't you be asking it from them?"

"I'm asking _you_! Tony... _Please_..."

_Gibbs never said please_... "Boss... Just... Let's not go there, okay? _You_ don't want to go in there."

"Just tell me..."

Tony sighed. Why couldn't the old man just let it go? "I guess I was framed one time too many. I mean the paperclip ninja and probie are no longer a surprise, but Abby..."

"Abby? What about Abby?"

"Told you, you don't want to go in there."

"Don't make me head slap you..."

"They stopped believing in me, I guess. Maybe the evidence really was too heavy this time, but then how come the_ FBI_ was this time the one to be able to crack the case against me? I don't know... Maybe they just don't... Just want me to..."

"They what..?" Gibbs spoke softly. He was just barely keeping the growing anger inside him hidden.

"Want me gone..? As in... _gone_..?" Tony spoke quietly, almost whispering the last word, and to his horror he felt the first tear rolling down his cheek and he cursed inwardly. _Not in front of Gibbs!_ He couldn't stop it. He was too tired. That was another issue he had. How could he be so tired if he, _apparently_, had slept for one whole week? He didn't even notice they had been at the parking slot for a while now.

Gibbs took off his seat belt and then carefully took off Tony's also. He was having a huge inner battle between keeping things professional or letting his Agent see more than his usual bastard side. The latter won and Tony found himself being pulled against the strong shoulder while a hand was against the back of his head, making sure the head remained where it now was. For the sake of them both. As awkward as the situation already was for the two of them, it was better to avoid the eye contact for now.

By the time they finally made it inside the store, the men kept their distance between each other. Or rather it was Tony who was avoiding looking at his boss and made sure there was enough space between them, while it was up to Gibbs to pick up the groceries. Until they walked by the frozen pizza.

"DiNozzo... You need some real food for a change. If Ducky-"

"Ducky is not here now. Besides, it's my food. My money. My body." Tony snapped and in a fit of strange rebellion he grabbed handful of pizza and some other unhealthy and slowly killing fast, _junk_, food he could find.

Gibbs ignored it and started putting back the junk which Tony had just loaded the shopping cart with. This results the two of them having a battle where Tony took them back and Gibbs took them away. Both men managed to glare at each other after every few handfuls. They were only stopped by the sudden squeal.

"Gibbs! You're back!" Abby jumped on her Bossman out of nowhere.

Gibbs smiled and hugged the woman back, before she finally pulled free, hitting Gibbs on his arm. "Why didn't you tell me!? Why didn't you come to see me or even call me!?"

"I was tired when I returned and at work I was too worried about Tony so I went to see him."

"Tony? What did he do this time?" Abby grossed her arms over her chest. Looking annoyed.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. Not liking what he's seeing. Looking around, he frowned when he couldn't see Tony anywhere.

"Gibbs!" Abby stared dumbfounded as Gibbs just walked away, pushing the shopping cart with him.

"Not now, Abby. Don't follow me. We'll talk later."

He found Tony near the movies, seemingly engrossed looking at the two DVDs he was holding. Gibbs wasn't fooled though. "DiNozzo..."

Without looking up, Tony spoke. "They didn't believe in me. McGee, Ziva and her. Even if they wouldn't have said anything, it was clear from the way they were looking at me. I could have handled those two though. I always do. But Abby... She is always the last straw... I think if Fornell hadn't taken my side this time, I might have started believing it myself. That maybe I really did commit such a horrible crime."

He made angry sound and put the movies away. "I'm so _stupid_!"

"And Ducky?" Gibbs was almost afraid to hear the answer. He didn't think their good old doctor would have believed in it, but then again neither had he believed such a thing from Abby.

"I didn't see him or Jimmy before I was taken away. Still haven't... I kept my phone off. I was a little afraid what they would say."

"Rule 3, DiNozzo."

"You weren't there, Gibbs." Tony answered, making Gibbs flinch at the unsaid accusation. '_You weren't there watching my six, like you promised me you would. You disappeared for weeks, making us think you're dead or hurt somewhere and when you finally call, you verbally bite my head off._'

"You. Weren't. There." Tony repeated, putting heavy emphasis to each word. Like a hammer hitting the stubborn old nail on its head.

"Tony..."

"I don't want to hear it, Gibbs. It doesn't change a thing."

He snarled when Gibbs lifted his hand towards his shoulder. "Don't touch me."

"Tony. I know I haven't been much of a leader this past year and I'm sorry for that. I did it again... I left you pick up the pieces I left after I disappeared and I am sorry for that too, but not that I left... I did it to keep you guys safe."

"_Only_ this last year? To keep us safe? By disappearing with no word? You know... You could've at least let us know that you're alright and not dead or kidnapped. Or Lord knows what else. The only constant thought we had in our minds was you. Is he safe? Is he even alive? As for keeping us safe... We are trained Agents and face daily situations where we might get hurt or dead. We go to work every day knowing that it could very well be our last. We chose that life."

"Look... Tony... Let's talk about everything tonight, okay? My place. You can ask your questions and I promise to tell you everything."

Tony hesitated for a moment if he should give the man this chance or just be honest. All the anger suddenly jumping out again, he decided to go with honesty. "See... That's the thing, boss... I already know everything. And that's what makes this all so much worse. _Knowing_ that you didn't trust me. It was no secret mission either. _That_ I could understand. You simply _chose_ to do the suicide mission because of some half-cooked excuse you made up in your own head."

Gibbs closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he looks weary. "How..?"

Tony chuckled. It was unhappy sound. "I have my ways. It really hurt my feelings you know. To know that you don't think I'm good enough to watch your six and instead chose people you hardly even knew. And it seems I am not worthy of you watching my six anymore either."

"That's not what it was... And I knew McGee and Ziva would..." Gibbs's voice trailed off and he frowned, remembering what Tony had been so far telling him about the two.

"_Those two_ could barely get to work on time, let alone do their jobs. I was watching my own six all those weeks, Gibbs. Just like always when you leave me alone with those idiots. It was even worse than during your little Mexico fiesta time off. I may not be as young as I once was, but I do think I am still too young to die only because my so called partners did not do their job."

"I'll talk to them."

"There are some things that can't be fixed."

"DiNozzo... I am their boss. I will talk to them."

_Wonderful_... Just what he'd need... To make the others think that he couldn't handle this on his own and had to bring in the big bad and almighty Gibbs to fix everything. Knowing them, they would put on some act for the boss and then behind his back things would be twice as bad.

"I don't think that's a good idea, boss. Not now. It should've been dealt with years ago. I always _hoped_ you would've done it... The weed should've been plucked out while it was still weak and the good stuff could still grow and flourish. Now there's no room to even breathe anymore. But hey, how can I complain? I myself should have dealt with them differently from the very beginning."

"DiNozzo..."

"Just give me some time. _I'll_ talk to them. If that doesn't work, _then _we'll think about how to deal with this."

Gibbs stepped closer, squeezing the back of Tony's head. "Talk to me... Don't close me out. Let me help."

"Like _you_ did, right? Like you always do. '_Do as I tell you and not as I do_'." Tony pulled away. Turning his back on Gibbs, he took the shopping cart and walked away with it, leaving his boss staring after him and looking old and tired.

_ **End of Part 2.** _


	3. Welcome To Your Nightmare

**- PART 3 -**

_**(Welcome to your nightmare)** _

Putting away the last groceries from the shopping bags, Tony tried to ignore the chill that ran through his whole body every few seconds. Although he had made it very clear that he did not want Gibbs to stay, he was suddenly regretting his decision.

His head was filled with the memories of that night about a week ago. And then there was some memories he couldn't get hold of. Things he couldn't remember, no matter how hard he tried. Among them there was sound of someone singing and then laughing softly. Maybe even saying something to him, but it was all so distant like this echo you can hear coming from far away, yet you can't make a whole lot of sense what the words are or even place the source of it.

Walking through his apartment, Tony flipped on all the lights he could, finally even putting on the TV. Some mindless comedy series with the constant laughter on the background was just perfect and what he needed.

In his bedroom he stopped in front of the whole body mirror, staring at himself for a moment. Stripping his shirt off, he was secretly hoping to not see anything there. That maybe he'd been imagining it. But when he turned his back towards the mirror and glanced over his shoulder, he felt the shiver and rising panic hit him again. There it was. Although he had seen it only once on the victim and it was almost one year ago, not to mention it was backwards in the mirror, he could swear it was a perfect copy of that same tattoo.

"_Hello. I am Jack._.. So clever." He muttered softly. The letters were big and black and skillfully made. He wasn't sure if he'd feel better or worse if the one who did this had done a sloppy job.

Still staring over his shoulder at his reflection, Tony took out his phone when it started ringing in his pocket. "I told you, you don't need to call me, boss."

"_Do you like it_?" A voice spoke. Not Gibbs and it sounded strange, like the person speaking was somewhere far away and there was a strange echo with the voice. Like a phone call from your nightmare.

"Who the... Who are you?" Tony snapped. More angry than anything.

"_Do you like it? I think it's my best one so far. Tell me you like it, Anthony. I saw you admiring it_."

Tony froze and glanced around. He had checked his whole apartment and locked up all his doors and windows, even checked every dark corner in the place, so he knew no one could be inside. Turning his head slowly towards his window, Tony nearly dropped his phone when he saw a face there. Which wasn't really a face, but someone wearing a mask and black clothes. Grim reaper. _How original_... The mask itself wasn't really even that scary, but it was the knowing that he'd already been at the mercy of this person once...

Suddenly furious, Tony took out his gun, which he hadn't separated from ever since he saw that tattoo on his back. Pointing it towards the person behind the window, he growled in the phone. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you!"

The voice chuckled in his ear. "_I knew you'd be fun. Knew it the moment I saw you observing my last piece of art. And next to the other candidates... You might be my favorite so far. I believe you and I are going to be very good friends._"

"I warned you!" Tony hissed and pulled the trigger, breaking his window when the bullet hits.

Running to the window, he looked down and frowned when he doesn't see any bleeding body on the ground. Looking up and then both left and right, he still didn't see anyone. Well, that wasn't complete truth because soon after that few of the closest windows or balcony doors are opened and heads are cautiously peeking out. Cursing, Tony left the window and held the phone next to his ear again. On the other end he could hear heavy breathing. Obviously not dead then. Not yet.

_"That was not very nice of you."_

Before Tony got the chance to say anything, the line went dead. He didn't even have to see it to know it had been from an unknown number.

Almost throwing his phone on the floor, Tony took a few calming breaths and sat down on his bed. Counting to ten, he finally called the one person he knew he should have called as soon as he saw that tattoo. It didn't take a long time before he heard the surprised voice speaking to him.

"_DiNutso?_"

"Don't sound so shocked, _Toby_." Tony snapped and the old man chuckled.

"_Forgive me, but I didn't think you would willingly call me and so soon._"

"I wouldn't exactly call this 'willing'..." Tony muttered.

"_So, why did you call me?_"

"That halloween serial killer... You remember the case, right?"

"_Of course. I've spent years trying to solve it. Why? You got something for me, DiNutso?_"

"I think... I think I know who the next victim might be." Tony closed his eyes. It was so hard to be admitting it out loud. He was no victim.

"_Who?_"

"I am."

"_What?_"

"I think I am the next victim."

"_DiNutso... Why would you think you're the one?_"

"I don't know! Maybe because a week ago something happened to me! The fun part is that I don't exactly remember anything... The next time I wake up, Gibbs is there and I find out it's been a week since that night and I have the _exact_ copy of the tattoo on my back which those victims had. And now someone, who could very well be your killer, called me and actually came here just a moment ago. Take your pick, Fornell!"

Fornell was quiet for a moment. "_Does Jethro know?_"

"No. I don't think he needs to know anything. It's not like he has been there watching my six for a while anyway. Plus he won't let me watch his six either, so I don't have any reasons to return that courtesy. Too many trust issues between us, even without all that."

"_I'll send someone there and I'll be there myself as well, as soon as I can._"

"I don't need..." Tony frowned and opens his eyes suddenly as he's listening closely to his surroundings.

"_DiNutso? Tony?_"

Tony stood up slowly. "I can't hear the TV..."

"_What are you talking about? Tony?_"

"I think you should call someone to come here as fast as possible, Toby." Tony finally answered and then cut off the call, slipping the phone in his pocket.

Holding his gun, Tony slowly and silently moves out of the bedroom and in the now silent living room. The TV wasn't on and the remote control was on the same place where he had left it, but he noticed how it was slightly off the spot. Somebody either was or had been there and he knew for sure he had locked up his front door. Feeling presence behind him, Tony turned around, ready to shoot.

"Whoa!"

"Abby! I could've shot you!"

"I can see that. Could you put that down now?" Abby stared at the gun, still directed towards her.

Putting the weapon away, Tony glared at her. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Gibbs told me to come... Said he wouldn't want to see me before we've talked and... It wasn't that hard. Ziva taught me a few tricks."

"You broke in!?" Hearing police car sirens getting closer to the building, Tony looked away for a moment. Well, that was fast... Then again, most likely it was that earlier gunshot which made someone call the cops even before Fornell did anything.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't let them arrest you, Abby?"

"You wouldn't dare. Gibbs would never forgive you."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you think I care about what he thinks?"

Abby started looking worried. "Because... He's Gibbs... You wouldn't really do that, would you?"

"We'll see..." Tony muttered, but he knew it better than anyone that he wouldn't be doing it. Not because of Gibbs or anything, but because he did care about Abby. Despite everything.

"What were you thinking, breaking into my home like this? I really could have shot you. I believe we have some time before the cops find their way in here... So start talking."

"You really would..." Abby whispered, sitting down on the couch while Tony remained standing.

"Abby... I _did not_ kill that kid... Fornell of all the people proved it. I don't understand however how _you_ of all the people could even _doubt_ that I could do such a thing. Let alone straight out accuse me of doing it."

She looked up, unable to hide the flash of guilt in her eyes.

"Why, Abby?" Tony spoke gently, masking his hurt. Just like he had done so many other times before.

"It's... Tim and Ziva..." Her voice trailed off.

"What..?"

"They've told me some things about you. Bad things... For a long time now... And they didn't believe you were innocent this time. And all the evidence... They said there's no doubt this time that you... You know. Did it."

"I was set up, Abbs. Things like that happens when you've worked with cases such as I have and for as long as I have... Both while I was still a cop and as the Agent. I have many enemies. You know that."

"I know, but... I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"The _real_ reason, Abby."

"I... I was mad at you... Gibbs went away again... And when he finally called... It was only _you_ who he called."

"Abby... I'm sure you heard him yourself... The whole bullpen heard it. He wasn't exactly in a loving DiNozzo mood when he called." Tony ran a hand over his face. He was tired of this. He narrowed his eyes again as another thought came to him.

"Please, don't tell me that this is all because of some gossips and badmouthing from the Zapper and McFable and some stupid kindergarten jealousy?"

Abby bit her bottom lip, unable to look at him.

"Abby... For the love of... This is not a joke here! I could have been given a _death_ sentence! Is _that_ what you wanted!? To see me dead!? You guys should have just faked some 'accident' outside at work, instead of this! Ms. '_I can kill you and leave behind no evidence_'!"

"No... I never..." She started crying pathetically, but he could hardly feel sorry for her. Walking to the door, he let the cops in before they had time to even knock or ring the doorbell.

"My bedroom. Secure it, but don't touch anything. The FBI should be here soon. It's their case." Tony simply said, leaving the bemused cops standing there for a moment while he himself returned in the living room.

"I'm sorry, Tony... It's just... Tim and Ziva... I'm so sorry..."

"You know me far better than any lies those two might come up with. You've known _me_ longer than them. Go home, Abby."

"But, Tony... I came here to apologize..." Abby frowned and looked at him, question in her eyes and Tony sighed.

"Apology accepted. Now leave... I may forgive, and it's something I always seem to be doing, but it doesn't mean I will forget. And _that_ is something you should worry about more than me forgiving you."

Holding up his hand, to stop her from speaking, Tony shook his head. "Just go now. I'm a little busy here."

Abby stood up slowly. Another realization hit her and she spoke softly. "Gibbs is going to be so mad at me, isn't he..?"

"I have no idea what Gibbs does or doesn't do, just like he wants it. I honestly don't even care. Don't come to my place uninvited again. And why did you turn off the TV?" Saying that, Tony turned on the TV.

"I didn't turn it off... It was that way when I got in."

Tony froze and turned around sharply. Then he laughed, brushing his hand through his hair. "That son of..."

"Tony..?" Abby spoke uncertainly from behind him.

Tony ignored her and staring towards the front door, which was wide open after the cops, he shook his head. "That creep was here the whole time! I bet 'he' was the one who called the cops. No wonder they found their way to my place so fast... And then left the moment he could..."

His eyes narrowed when he saw the next two people stepping inside the apartment. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Gibbs nodded his head towards Fornell who had followed him. "He called me."

"Wasn't sure what I was going to find." Fornell defended himself when Tony glared at him.

"It was a false alarm."

"What about the..." Fornell's voice trailed off when Tony stared at him intently.

"...stalker?"

"Not a stalker. Just your regular burglar who chose the wrong apartment." Tony put a grin on his face and tapped the gun which was back in the holster.

"You alright?" Gibbs asks. His eyes scanned the younger man from head to toes for any injuries he might be trying to hide.

"I'm fine. For real this time." Tony added, seeing the skeptic look all three of them were giving him.

"Boss. I'm sorry you had to come all the way in here, but go home now. Please. And take Abby with you. It's been a really long day for me and I can't deal with everything all at once."

Normally Gibbs wouldn't have taken no for an answer and would have stayed anyway, but he wanted to talk to the goth anyway. Plus, Tony was obviously still mad at him. Too mad to just sit down and talk or even tolerate his company outside the working hours. "Come on, Abbs."

"But Gibbs... You told me to talk with him..."

"_Now_."

The moment they were gone, Tony and Fornell disappeared in the guest bedroom, closing the door after them.

"Show me."

Tony grinned and waggled his eyebrows. Fornell kept his face neutral, not showing neither anger nor amusement. Taking off the shirt, Tony turned his back on Fornell, whose eyes widened and then he cursed softly.

"I was hoping that it would not be the case, but... DiNutso... You were telling the truth."

After Fornell had studied the tattoo for a while, Tony put the shirt back on and turned around. He was feeling nervous and part of him had hoped the old man would have told him it didn't look the same. Maybe even that he was just imagining the whole thing. "So, now what?"

"Someone must be with you all times until we catch this psycho."

"I don't need protection." Tony protested.

"Either you take the protection or I will have to bring out the big guns, DiNutso."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell Jethro."

"Anyone ever tell you you're a bastard?"

"Of course. I may not be that boss of yours, but I have my moments."

"I don't need any protection. Go ahead and tell Gibbs if it makes you feel better, but I refuse to have some babysitters. I'll be going back to work tomorrow and I don't need someone breathing down my neck all the time. It's enough when Gibbs or my Director does it. Plus I've already been gone long enough. People are going to forget my face at this rate." Tony tried throwing in a joke, which didn't really work out in this situation.

"I think it would be wise of you to not go back to work for a while... After the ordeal you went through _again_, no one would question it."

Tony gave the man his '_try again_' look and Fornell sighed. The more he spent time with the younger man, the more he understood all those head slaps.

"DiNutso... You need to understand the seriousness of this situation. You are in fact closest we have ever gotten to the killer. You're the first victim we can actually talk to. It might be in your hands to stop this guy or a woman. To save the lives of more future victims."

Tony frowned. Sure, Fornell was right and he did understand the situation perfectly well, but he didn't like the man's way of doing this. To try to make him feel responsible. So now there was that feeling on top of him already having this almost desperate need to prove that he was no victim.

"You've got to admit though that this is improvement. In about a week I go from murder suspect to a possible serial killer's next victim. I'm sure there's got to be some kind of irony in that."

Forcing himself to smile, he chuckled and for a moment Tony thought Fornell was actually going to head slap him. _Fornell_. There just was that_ look_ in the old man's eyes.

"I just have to stay alive. I'm a federal Agent. Now that I know what this is all about, it should be easy enough, right?"

_ **End of Part 3.** _


	4. And The Clock Is Ticking

**- PART 4 -_  
><em>**

**_(A week before halloween and the clock is ticking.)_ **

Hell. He had to be in hell for sure. Special hell on earth, made just for him. He had lost the count of how many times he wished he'd taken Fornell's advice to not go back to work yet. Maybe this was the universe proving him wrong, by making it all so painfully clear to him from every turn he took in his daily life. It didn't matter what he did since everything seemed to be going wrong in these days.

Ziva and McGee were constantly at his throat. Mostly whenever Gibbs wasn't there. They were at least smart enough to cover up their tracks properly or then Gibbs simply didn't care enough to look past their act. All those little things they would say which would have double meanings of how he just keeps managing to stay out of jail. Almost as if they'd been looking forward to seeing him in there. And it didn't seem like they even took him seriously enough to let him talk with them, so he had given up on that. Maybe he really should just go from talking to actions?

Abby, she hadn't said a word to him since she came to his place that one time. She barely even looked at him now. Which was just fine, since _he_ still couldn't deal with spending too much time around her, but he knew he would have to soon find the time to maybe invite her to come to his place and then they could sit down and talk like two adults. And make sure that they both knew where their relationship was at right now. Whether there even was any hope for their friendship to survive, he wasn't that sure of it.

Whatever was wrong with Gibbs, he had no idea. The old man had been growling at them even more than usually. The boss was pissed off for some unknown reason and maybe Abby had told something to Gibbs, but the two hadn't said anything to him. There had been not one head slap for him during all these days. Instead Gibbs's full rage was always pointed towards McGee and Ziva. Which in turn made those two even worse towards their SFA when their boss wasn't looking.

Their Director kept hovering around their team when you least expected it. Vance had already been talking with Gibbs so it was only a matter of time before they all went through some private interrogation at the Director's office.

Although Fornell had promised to not put Tony under watch of anyone, he had a strange feeling that it was one of the things where the FBI Agent didn't keep his word... He kept having this feeling that someone was watching him, but he never saw anyone there when he looked. At least the halloween creep had so far left him alone, but in his gut Tony knew it was only a matter of time before they would meet again, one way or another.

Another good thing out of this all was how he was closer than ever with both Jimmy and Ducky. Both of whom had been revealed to have never doubted him for a second. He had even heard from the other Agents how the two of them had 'defended his honor' several times. Loud and clear. And it was obvious from their far too polite behavior towards not only the other three, but also Gibbs, what they thought of their actions.

Mumbling something about going to see Ducky, Tony stood up from behind his desk, in the middle of the 'word play' between his two partners which was obviously directed towards him again. Them showing their displeasure at him because for a change the wrath of Gibbs was all on them. And he wasn't doing anything to try to direct it on himself. Foolish as he was and despite everything, normally he would have done it. But right now he simply had no such energy. And perhaps, just maybe a little bit, part of him liked it that way.

A sigh escaped his mouth when he saw Gibbs walking in the bullpen. With 'that look' on his face.

"Grab your gear."

* * *

><p>The body was basically in the middle of nowhere. Strangely enough, it wasn't the long drive that was bothering the Agents, but the silence. Tony barely even moved the whole time they were driving, not to mention the lack of his usual chatter and movie trivia. Sure, they'd been driving to crime scenes together several times after he came back to work, but it was this long drive and lack of any new topics to talk about that the almost deadly silence slapped the other two to three on their faces. It was always hard to know what Ziva was thinking. Truly thinking.<p>

McGee pretended to be playing something on his phone, but in reality his mind was somewhere else. To tell the truth, he was feeling guilty. Yet once they had started taunting their partner, he didn't even know how to stop. It had started off as innocent enough, but before he even knew, they were at the point they now were. He had no idea why he had let Ziva pull him into such childish yet hurtful and finally even dangerous games. Gibbs hadn't exactly said anything, but he had a strange feeling the boss knew something. Who had told him? Maybe Tony? But for some reason those two had barely spoken a word to each other if it didn't have something to do with their work.

What was he doing anyway? When had he become someone like this? This wasn't the kind of person he was. At least he didn't think he was. McGee frowned and glanced towards Ziva who was staring out of the window. Why was he behaving like her lapdog anyway? Swallowing hard, he opened his mouth several times, until he finally got some sound out.

"Uh... Tony."

Both Ziva and Gibbs glanced towards him, but the man he was talking to kept his eyes on the road in front of them.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I know that it can't fix anything, but... I'm really sorry..." He nearly started stuttering when there was for a split second scary look on Ziva's face, when she looked at him.

"What for?" Tony finally spoke, with a monotone voice. It was how he had sounded for weeks after weeks now, McGee realized suddenly.

"I was... We..." No, he couldn't speak for Ziva. This was about _him_ apologizing, finally.

"I was wrong. But even before that. I've been horrible. I'm sorry, Tony..."

To McGee's disappointment, Tony didn't say anything and too soon they arrived to their crime scene so the opportunity was gone anyway. Before he had the chance to follow his boss and Tony, Ziva took hold of his arm, pulling him to the other side of the car.

"What are you doing, McGee? Did we not agree on this?" She looked furious.

"No... No, we did not, Ziva. That was all in your own head and I followed your lead. Just like always do. I've got news for you. Those days are over." McGee could barely hold his gaze when he was standing against his partner in crime. He flinched when he felt the grip tighten around his arm. It would surely leave some bruises on him, but that would be small price to pay. It wasn't the first time he realized that this woman here was not some weak and fragile woman needing anyone's protection. No, it was everyone else who'd need protection against her instead.

Ziva narrowed her eyes, but before she could say anything Gibbs growled at them to get to the work. They had a crime scene waiting for them. Letting go of the arm, Ziva points her finger at him with a low hiss coming from her mouth which only barely sounded human. "_Later_."

The moment she was gone, McGee slumped against the car and rubbing his arm he shook his head. What was he doing? It did him no favors getting on her 'hit list' with Tony... As soon as he was sure his feet wouldn't fail him, he walked to the crime scene and walked straight to Tony. Before he could become like a coward again and change his mind.

"What?" The older man finally asked, annoyed by the stare and 'fish on a dry land' imitation McGee was doing.

"Can we... talk later?"

Tony kept his emotions firmly shut off on his face. "Alright. Later. So get to work now, probie, before boss makes you do all the 'fun work' today. He's not in a good mood today either."

There was strange feeling of relief, being called probie by Tony and McGee smiled as walked to the body. He was doing the right thing after all. Right?

Glancing over his shoulder, Tony frowned. His gut kept screaming at him that he shouldn't be here and he kept brushing his fingers over his back unconsciously. Although it was just a tattoo, it felt almost like those words had been carved on his back. Burned. Branded. As if he was marked like some cattle by their owner. He could feel every letter without even having to touch his bare back or see them. He remembered the hinting towards other possible victims out of whom he had been 'chosen'. Who were they? Were they alive or dead? Also with a tattoo? And most importantly... What kind of lunatic was behind this? And why?

Seeing that the others were completely focused doing their jobs, he walked further away and took out his phone. It didn't take a long time for Fornell to pick up. As strange as it was, the two of them had become pretty good 'phone pals' lately. To the point where they even called each other during the work hours. Mostly it was to check on Tony, to see if he was still alive, but sometimes it had been Tony himself calling the old man. Who would have thought that the day would come where he'd be calling Fornell out of all the people when he was in need of a friendly voice?

"_DiNutso! What were you thinking!?_"

"Hello to you too."

"_Why are you so far away from D.C.? Did or did we not agree that you will stay where I can keep an eye on you?_"

"And could you stop tracing my calls every time?"

"_Not unless you agree on the 'babysitting' as you called it._"

"There's no time for this now, Toby... I'm worried."

"You're_ worried?_"

"Fair enough..." Glancing towards the crime scene, Tony felt almost disappointed how the others hadn't even noticed his absence. He almost regretted his new 'silent Tony' persona.

"Look... I don't know what it is about this case but something is wrong here... Could you 'steal' it? This case I mean."

"_Well, this is new... Makes me wish I was recording this conversation._"

"The day you do such, is the day I will release that video clip for all to see, Toby." Tony muttered and the old man sobered almost immediately.

"_Alright, I'll see what I can do._"

"Just do it. Now would be good."

"_Stay safe and don't-_"

Ending the call, Tony shook his head. Sensing someone standing behind him, he made a face before he turned around. "I _know _boss, back to work."

* * *

><p>"I am terribly sorry for how late we are. Unfortunately we got lost on our way here." Ducky spoke and he looked scoldingly at Palmer who blushed, looking embarrassed.<p>

Gibbs grumbled something. "At least you're finally here. We've already progressed rest of the crime scene. So do what you need to do. There's no one else in the house and I'd like to get back as soon as I can. Seems the one who called us has disappeared somewhere and I don't like it."

Ducky tutted, seeing how all the Agents were for some reason in a horrible mood. "I do hope, Jethro, that you did not add more trouble on our Anthony."

Gibbs's head snapped up and he furrowed his brows. He hadn't realized yet that this was the first time his old friend was calling him Jethro again. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, do not take me for a fool... Anthony does talk. To us at least." Ducky pointed towards himself and Palmer, who was looking around the crime scene now, looking worried.

"I don't know what to do anymore. He won't talk to me. Those two..." Gibbs looked weary and tired. Tired enough to show some of the anger on his face. When spat out '_those two_', pointing at Ziva and McGee, the latter was looking guilty.

"...won't come out and admit anything either. Not to mention how little any of my threats work on them now. And Abbs... Well, _eventually_ she spilled out everything... And even that took several days, just to get even half of the truth out of her mouth..."

McGee's eyes widened and his face turned several shades lighter. Ziva had a perfect poker face, but she too stood now frozen to her spot.

"But it does no good when DiNozzo himself refuses any help from me and claims that he will deal with everything himself. '_Stay out of it, like you always do_', as he puts it."

"Is this the reason why he is not here with you?"

That got everyone's attention as they all finally realized their partner had not only been more silent than before, but he was nowhere to be seen. Worst part was that they had no idea since when he had been gone.

"Where is he?" Palmer finally asked.

Gibbs felt as if someone had dropped a heavy boulder in his stomach. He felt suddenly sick and then he swore, trying to regain some of his bossiness. "Find him McGee, Ziva!"

Taking out his phone, Gibbs rushed away. Not bothering to see if the two followed his orders, he hoped they knew it was for their own good that they did not disobey him also. He was already going between the need to fire them or leaving things be as they were. Even the Director had been pouring hot coals over him for how everyone seemed to be keeping _him_ in the dark and he had to find things out through several other people.

Gibbs swore to deliver the mother of all the head slaps. For DiNozzo to make him worry like this...

The phone ringing near their car was what finally got his attention. Picking it up from the ground, he frowned and looked around. How was it even possible to disappear in such wide and open area? There had been no other cars anywhere near the crime scene. No other buildings besides the one on the crime scene either. No foot prints besides their own. There was absolutely _no_ sign of Tony.

_ **End of Part 4.** _


	5. We Will Find Him

**- PART 5 -** _ **  
><strong> _

_**(We will find him)** _

He could feel that he was moving or rather the place where he was in was moving. Was he inside a car? He heard the radio and wondered why he couldn't see anything. He tried to remember what happened between his phone call to Fornell and when he had ended it, but only a few seconds later he was slipping back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"What's going on!?" Gibbs growled.<p>

Tobias sighed inwardly. This was going to so much fun. Glancing towards his Agents, they got the message and got to work, which was to make sure they had all of DiNozzo's possession. Both private and work. Even the computer. As soon as Tobias got the word from his 'inside man' in NCIS what had happened, he made it in there way before Gibbs and his team did. After few private words with the Director and they were ready to take with them all the evidence of what Tony had been secretly working on, besides his own actual work. The halloween case.

Ziva spoke suddenly. "Oh. I know. Tony did something again, did he not? Who did he kill_ this_ time?"

Gibbs glared at her dangerously. McGee looked uncertain, not knowing what to think. Ducky had a scary look on his face and Jimmy glanced nervously from one person to another. Rest of the Agents close by were glaring daggers at the woman.

"No, _miss David_." Tobias said, keeping his voice cold and polite. He still did not understand how these people could keep someone like her working in here. Someone who had no place working in law enforcement. Someone who had no idea what being a 'team player' or partners meant. He knew he was moving dangerously close to revealing everything, but he just couldn't not say _something_.

"Tony has been working for us and now that he has gone missing it's not a good sign..."

"You are sure he has not simply gone rough?" Ziva spoke again.

"Rogue, Ziva. I think that's what you meant..."

"I know what I said, McGee."

While the other Agents weren't looking, Gibbs gave Tobias one of his 'looks' and the two of them disappeared in the elevator.

"Use the stairs." Gibbs barked and the young Agent who was about to join them, stepped away so fast he almost fell down.

"I can see that you are still as good with words as always, Jethro." Tobias spoke when the doors closed.

Stopping the elevator, Gibbs turned around, the look on his face stormy. "Since when does he work for you?"

"I'm afraid that's something I can't tell you."

"Enough with the games, Tobias!" Gibbs yelled, hitting his fist against the wall, making Tobias almost flinch at the sudden noise.

"Do you honestly think I'm buying your explanation which you gave us?! The _truth_, Tobias! Give me the truth!"

Tobias remained silent. He was not surprised Gibbs had been able to spot his lie. Although he had hoped it would have come to the man only after he was gone.

"What's going on?"

"I'm sorry. I promised Tony to not tell you. You have to ask the reason from him, when we find him." _If he's still alive by then_, Tobias added in his mind. Gibbs must have spotted something from what he didn't say though.

"Is he in how big danger?"

"We'll do our best. _I'll_ do my best. That's all I can tell you. Jethro... The longer you keep me here, the longer it takes for me to get to work."

After few seconds of deadly glare, Gibbs finally nodded and reached towards the emergency switch. Before he touched it though, he spoke again. Almost too softly for Tobias to even hear the words.

"He's _my_ Agent. One of _my_ people, Tobias. He's my..." Gibbs didn't finish his last sentence, leaving Tobias wondering what the man didn't say. '_My partner_'? '_My friend_'? '_My family_'? There were several ways it could have ended. _However_...

"Is he?"

Gibbs looked startled and he glanced at the other man over his shoulder. He wasn't even trying to hide the guilt which was now lingering in his eyes, because of the accusation in the other Agent's voice.

Reaching towards the emergency switch again, Gibbs spoke with more confidence than what he felt. "You better find him in one piece, alive and breathing, Tobias. Or you will have _me_ to deal with."

* * *

><p>Watching the elevator doors close after the last FBI Agent, Gibbs sat down behind his desk. Staring at Tony's empty desk, he ignored the looks his Agents were giving him.<p>

"Boss... Are you really going to let the FBI keep us away from the case?" McGee finally asked. He didn't understand how their boss could just sit there, looking so calm.

"What do you think?" Gibbs snarled, making McGee wish he'd go back to looking calm.

Before McGee could answer, Gibbs's phone started ringing. Part of him was grateful. At least it saved him from having to think of an answer which he didn't have. He wasn't like Tony. He couldn't read the mind of Gibbs.

It was then that it hit him. Or perhaps it had come to him many times before, but so far he had refused to think about it during those times. He didn't want to go so far as to say that he was _jealous_, surely not that, but he certainly felt envy.

How was it possible that someone like Tony was their Senior Field Agent? How was it possible for the former Detective to have been given the position as their boss during Gibbs's Mexico hiatus and then again not too long ago? And how was it possible that for some reason Tony seemed to be so popular among most people? Not just women. As many enemies as he seemed to have, there seemed to be even more people wanting to be such good buddies with him.

When it came to undercover jobs, why was Tony usually the one people would turn to first? Surely both Ziva and _him_ could have done several of those just as good? Maybe even better? He also had long ago lost the count of how many times someone from outside the NCIS showed up, asking or even _demanding _Agent DiNozzo, for one reason or another. Getting into major argument, if not even a verbal dog fight, with Gibbs over it.

Then there were those times when Tony had been framed for murder or something... How could someone like that still be working here? After all, how could they know for sure that not one of those crimes he'd been accused of doing weren't the real deal?

Even Kate had often wondered, and even straight out asked, how it was possible for Tony to be their Senior Field Agent. And then she died and Ziva hopped in while they were all still grieving. Slowly worming her way into their small and tight circle. Making him into her 'friend'. And sure, it had felt good to get his payback. All those pranks Tony had played on him... Those stupid nicknames of his...

"Oh no..." McGee felt suddenly sick and even slightly weak from his knees. There was big lump in his throat which he soon realized was most likely his breakfast. Swallowing hard, he made sure the trashcan was close by 'just in case'.

Were they suddenly back in high school? Was _he_ back in school? As much as Tony could act like a big kid sometimes, it was _him_ who was being childish. Being jealous because of the popular kid who seemed to have been born with the golden spoon in his mouth and who got everything without even trying too hard. '_Work smarter, not harder_' and all those other famous DiNozzo quotes. Some perhaps even more famous than Gibbs's infamous set of rules, which the man didn't even follow himself. It seemed to not matter how good grades he had, Tony would always be the popular one among the people, teachers, other students and most likely even the parents. The one who got it all. His ultimate natural enemy.

"I _am_ back in high school..."

"What are you talking about, McGee?" Ziva was looking at him like he was losing it and only then did McGee realize he had spoken out loud.

"Nothing." He answered. He wasn't ready or in the mood to even think about talking to her right now. He saw Gibbs standing up and walking towards the elevator and he spoke before he remembered that the boss wasn't in such a good mood around the two of them.

"Boss, do we have a case?"

"Yes." Gibbs snapped.

"Um... So... Do we gear up or..?" McGee stuttered under the Gibbs's infamous glare. He would never understand how Tony could face it and sometimes even with that crap melting grin of his.

"No. You two will work on the cold cases until I tell you otherwise."

The moment Gibbs was gone, the two Agents groaned in displeasure at the very thought of cold cases. Normally that would have made Gibbs smile when he heard the beginning of the groans, just before the doors closed. This time however it seemed nothing could calm the storm that was raging inside him. He couldn't help but wonder if he had dragged the cat out of the bag sooner, could this have been avoided? Now Tony was gone and the only ones who did know something refused to let them in. To let _him _in. Cursed FBI... No. _Fornell_.

"What do you have for me?" Gibbs spoke when he walked in the lab, void of any kind of music. Even the usually happy and hyper Abby had bags under her eyes and she looked tired and stressed out. No matter how much Caf-Pow she was consuming in these days.

"Before I show anything, you must promise me to not get mad at me, Gibbs. Not again."

"Abby..."

"I'll take that as a yes." Abby chewed her bottom lip and turned to look at the computer monitor behind her.

"The moment I found out that the FBI was here again, I knew something was going on. I didn't have enough time to do much, before they took the computer and all... But I did find out something..." She paused, looking worried.

"Tony has been secretly working on that halloween case from last year. And by that I mean hours after hours of research on the case and anything even remotely reminding of it. Like from a tattoo ink and its history to any cases that are more or less similar. Gibbs... I don't know what's going on, but I don't think this is good news... What is your gut saying?"

Gibbs didn't answer. Seeing as his infamous gut had failed him before, resulting them losing Tony right under their noses. Some investigators were they...

"Gibbs... Please tell me we will find him..."

It was just a shadow of the real thing, but it was still a smile which Gibbs flashed briefly. Not really fully believing in his own words, he answered. "We will find him."

_ **End of Part 5.** _


	6. Jack's Apprentice

**- PART 6 -**

_**(Being Jack's apprentice)** _

At first it felt like he was still dreaming, but then he realized he was waking up. For some reason he couldn't lift up his arms so trying to chase away that annoying bee, which kept bothering him, didn't work. After a while the buzzing sound became murmuring sound and he realized it was someone talking. It took every inch of his willpower to fight free from the hold of whatever was still trying to keep him unconscious.

"...and parts of the human anatomy makes sure it never happens. If you do it right the body will live for hours, sometimes even days, afterwards. Any questions? Yes, Marshall?"

Swimming constantly in and out of consciousness, Tony tried opening his eyes, which proved to be much harder thing to do than he thought it would. After several failed attempts, he finally cracked open his right eye and then the left one.

"And when one body can't handle the same treatment as another one can? Didn't the last one die almost right away? Barely lasted for a couple of days."

Tony squinted his eyes. It was slowly and little by little that he started getting some of his senses back. He still couldn't move though. He found himself staring at some old wooden ceiling, covered in spider webs. The smell in the room made him want to throw up. It smelled like death and old, either animal or human, waste. If he tried to breathe through his mouth, then he could taste it, so he decided to keep breathing through his nose. Hoping that he would not throw up. Since he couldn't move, he could very well choke in his own vomit.

"That's a very good question. It's simple case of the strong body proving to be weak when everything suggested it would be a strong one. The mind wasn't as strong as the body was. Simple case of a human error, which we can all learn from and is why we test their minds first and study their behavior. Any other questions?"

Trying to see the person standing next to him from the corner of his eye, was starting to hurt his eyes. The person talking and standing there was blocking his view from everything else, but after listening long enough he knew it. Although this time it sounded just like any normal human voice with no special effects, it was him. It was 'Jack'. The voice from the phone back then.

"What makes the one now any better than the last one? He doesn't even look as strong as that Marine we had last year."

Tony squinted his eyes again. _Marine?_ _The victim from the last year?_

"Ah, but that's where my lesson number nine will begin, so open your notebooks. How do you know which one will last the longest?"

It was starting to feel like his head was swimming and he had to fight in order to not lose his consciousness again. Whatever was waiting for him, he didn't want to be out of it any longer than what he obviously had already been. Was it hours? Maybe even days? There was no way to know.

Small pieces of memories were starting to return to him and he finally remembered. How he had finished talking to Fornell and then turned around, thinking that Gibbs was standing there behind him. It had been only a split second before he saw the man and when he had known it. That this was it. And that split second later he saw a smile and then came the darkness, faster than a punch on your face. Worked faster too. Whatever the drug was, each time it felt like it was strong enough to put a horse to sleep in a matter of seconds.

"I'm afraid that it's something you will only develop after enough time. You learn to separate the good from bad by your instinct. You simply know it from the moment you lay eyes on them. So lesson number nine: Developing a good instinct."

He tried moving himself again and this time he managed to move his fingers, but his joy was short-lived.

"Now... Before we get to our next lesson, we... Yes, Foster?"

"I think he's moving. Is he waking up?"

Cursing inwardly, Tony could only blink as his only real reaction when 'Jack' turned around to look at him. Blond curly hair, blue eyes and a friendly smile. The man looked like such a sweet person and he had a certain charm to him. What was scarier though was how sane the look in his eyes was. He looked intelligent. And like someone who knew it. The man was someone who did what he did simply because he could do it.

"Ah. Hello there. You keep waking up before it is time, don't you, Anthony?" Jack shook his head and took something out of his pocket. A syringe.

At this rate he would end up with some drug addiction if the man kept putting that stuff in his body. If he lived of course... Tony shivered at his thoughts.

"I'm afraid it's not your turn yet. Go back to sleep. Your body is going to need it."

Throwing a wordless glare, Tony felt the darkness wrapping him into strong hold again.

* * *

><p>Watching his team working silently, Tobias glanced towards the clock on the wall. It had been over a day since Tony disappeared and they had zero leads. They had even the FBI's best team of profilers working with them, yet so far nothing seemed to be working.<p>

Standing up suddenly, he pushed everything but the computer off the desk, swearing loudly. "We're running out of time! Work harder!"

"Hey boss..."

"Work harder! He doesn't have time to wait! You _know_ what happened to the other victims! We need leads! We needed them years ago!"

"Boss..."

"What now!?"

"Hotchner and his team are here..."

"_Finally_."

"...and so is Agent Gibbs."

"Just what we need... Get back to work! When I come back, I want to see results!" Tobias yelled and stormed out. He really was not in a mood nor did he have the time to be dealing with the NCIS team right now.

Making his way straight to the team of profiles waiting for him, he at first ignored Gibbs who had somehow made his way there. "Thank you for coming so fast. I know you are already busy with another case, but you know how this one is... It's the same room as last time. I'll join you soon."

"Tobias." Gibbs spoke, annoyed that he was being ignored.

"What are you doing here, Jethro?" Tobias spoke finally, after the others left. Some looking curiously at Gibbs.

"You keep ignoring my calls. What else am I supposed to do?"

"As you know, I'm kind of busy. I don't have time to answer your calls and I would be very glad if your calls wouldn't end up blocking some much more important ones. Tony doesn't need his own 'team' to finally be the reason he can't make it out alive."

Gibbs felt strangely annoyed by the familiar way Tobias was talking about Tony lately. The man had _no_ right to... "I want in, Tobias."

"Didn't we already agree on this? You and your team will stay out of my way and let us do our jobs."

"I changed my mind. I know what's going on. Why would you need a full team of profiles? Tony has something to do with the halloween case, doesn't he? What's going on? Did he get too close and the killer found out? Tell me, Tobias. I have the right to know what's going on with my own Agent."

Tobias shook his head. Of course the old bastard would find that out. Had to have something to do with that 'snooping around' team of his. "No, Jethro. I gave my word to Tony, to keep you guys out of this. And the more I learn and see... The more I agree. Before you even think about trying to sneak your way in this, fix your own team."

"What's going on in my team, has nothing to do with-"

"Actually, it has everything to do with this. I know first hand how freely they handed over their own teammate. There was no questioning whether the claims were right or wrong. It makes me wonder how it's possible for your team to have let him be taken away so easily as they did. I truly hope this didn't happen because one of you let it happen."

The look in Gibbs's eyes darkened and Tobias actually took one step back. Mostly because of surprise, but also the danger which he saw in those blue eyes of his. Such color really didn't fit the man's personality. The level of danger still wasn't something you saw in them everyday. There was a storm coming and it was going to leave behind one ugly mess.

"Jethro... Just don't do anything stupid."

"He could be dead now. God knows how many times by now. Not just by the hands of the criminals, but the people he trusts. Maybe indirectly only, but still... People he used to trust... Where did I go wrong, Tobias? How can I fix a mess this big..?"

Tobias honestly had no idea what to answer. "I'm not sure if it can be fixed, Jethro. Rather than thinking how to fix this, I would start looking at this without any feelings involved. Forget that you care about these people. Forget whatever heartstrings they may pull in you. Especially the women. Treat it just like any crime case out there."

"I'm not sure if I can do that..." Gibbs admitted.

Tobias nodded, understanding. "Just think about it."

Almost turning around to leave, Tobias stopped. "Oh, and... If it does truly get to the point where your help is needed, I will make sure to let you know. Just stay out of this case until then. We are doing all we can, Jethro. No matter what, we won't give up until we find him."

Gibbs stared at the man's back as he was walking away. Something in his gut just wouldn't leave him alone and he hated how helpless and angry he felt right now.

* * *

><p>"Time to wake up, Anthony."<p>

Squinting his eyes and slowly opening them, Tony looked at the smiling face above him. His head felt such a mess after the drugs. He couldn't help but wonder if they were even safe for people to use. But knowing that most likely all the other victims ended up dead, this was hardly the biggest concern. He had barely any memories from the last time he had been awake, but this time he was much more aware of his surroundings and he noticed he was laying on some table. It didn't look like he was tied up, but he still couldn't move himself.

"Good. We finally meet properly. Face to face and no masks. I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this. Last time you were here, we didn't have any time alone together. It was when my students did that tattoo on your back. My name is Simson, but you can call me Jack if you want. Or Jack of all trades, which is the nickname my students gave me. Much better and more creative than calling me 'halloween killer', don't you think? I must say that I was truly disappointed the first time I found out the name they gave me. But saying that, they themselves set the body drop timeline and I do like a good schedule."

Tony glared and he kept opening his mouth, trying to get some words out.

"What? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear..." 'Jack' leaned closer.

"...hell... Go to... hell..."

Jack straightened himself and studied Tony's angry face for a moment. "We'll get back to that later. Now... I want to welcome you to my special little place."

Lifting the other man to a sitting position and then keeping him in that position for some time, he spoke again. "Welcome to my art class. Say hello to my students."

Tony blinked his heavy eyelids and stared at the row of seats in front of them, occupied by people from all ages starting from mid teens and up. Most were holding their notebooks and some were writing something on them.

"What is this..? A freak... gathering..?" He got the words barely out of his mouth. He had a very bad feeling that he was about to find out exactly what had happened to those other victims.

"Why... are you doing this..?"

Jack smiled. "Because I can."

** _End of Part 6._ **


	7. Everybody Needs One Autopsy Gremlin

**- PART 7 -**

_**(Everybody needs one Autopsy gremlin)** _

It was with a heavy heart that Timothy McGee stepped in the bullpen early in the morning. It would now be second day since they last saw Tony and he had to finally admit that he was missing the very presence of their Senior Field Agent.

He didn't have much of the so called 'gut feelings' as his boss would call it, but he had a strange feeling that something was happening or going to happen today. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that whenever people saw him, they started staring and sometimes even whispering something to one another. Or maybe it had something to do with the Agent, whom he had never seen before, sitting behind his desk. And why was Ziva's desk almost sparkling clean? From what he could see, all of her things were gone.

"Who are you?" He asked, glaring at the younger man who had obviously made himself very comfortable behind _his_ desk. Where were his things anyway..?

"I am the replacement until Agent DiNozzo is back and-"

"McGee."

McGee dropped his things on Tony's desk and looked up when his boss arrived, carrying a thick bunch of files. "Boss. What's going on? And where is Ziva?"

Gibbs gave the files to McGee, who took them thinking it was yet another bunch of papers for him to work with or something for some cold cases. "Boss?"

"He's part of the temporary team which I will be working with for a while."

"But why? Surely Ziva and I can handle things until Tony returns. We don't need to be looking after another team."

Gibbs scowled. "I said '_I_', not '_we_', McGee."

"Oh... Wait, what..?"

"Until Tony returns,_ if_ he does and _if_ he's still alive, you will be transferred to another team. As much as I would like to do things my way, it will be up to him whether you will return to this team or not."

McGee paled. Oh, he was so screwed... Swallowing hard, he spoke while being perfectly aware that there were more than a few pairs of eyes and ears recording everything that was happening. "And.. Ziva? Where is she? Is she also..?"

Gibbs's mouth was a tight line, before he answered. "What Ziva does or doesn't do, is not your concern."

What had really happened though, was that the moment Ziva had realized something was wrong and she wasn't Gibbs's beloved daughter replacement anymore, she took the first plane back to Israel. Wise move, since Gibbs had planned having a little 'talk' between the two of them. For now she was out of reach, but with her move she had in Gibbs's eyes cut off any chance of returning in his team.

Pointing to the files which McGee was holding, Gibbs spoke just a little less harshly this time. "Your team is waiting for you and those, so get moving."

Feeling really lost by the sudden turn of events, McGee gathered his things again, but before he left he had to know. "Boss... Is Tony going to be alright..? I mean... It isn't just a case of bad guys taking him, is it..?"

"It's very serious." And it was all Gibbs was going to say and McGee nodded, understanding it.

Watching McGee retreating, with his shoulders slumped, Gibbs felt sharp pain in his heart. Watching his team broken off like this really did it and he had to take a deep breath in order to not show his true emotions in front of all these people.

"Get to work." He barked and walked away, leaving the young man behind McGee's desk stare after him in confusion.

"Work on what..?"

* * *

><p>Jimmy Palmer stared at the doors in front of him nervously. Why did they look so enormous in his eyes? They were just doors to some building, weren't they..?<p>

"James Palmer." Tobias walked outside, looking surprised.

"Agent Fornell..."

"You know, you look rather suspicious standing here like that, in front of a FBI building..."

"I didn't realize..." Jimmy could feel the heat on his face when he blushed. _Just get to the point_! He scolded himself and took a deep breath.

"Agent Fornell... I know you have become close with Tony lately and I know you are working on his case again... And I know you haven't been sharing the information even with Agent Gibbs, but I... I know... I think I know it has something to do with the halloween case from last year, because some things just add up too well and..."

"Alright. Come on in. I'll take you to the team working on it."

Jimmy blinked. It was this easy? What about the rage storm from yesterday, when Agent Gibbs had returned after talking to Agent Fornell? Even the Director was still avoiding him now.

"Of course I can't tell you too much, but I will let you meet the people working day and night in order to find our friend." Tobias spoke while they were walking side by side, inside the building now.

"I don't need to know _everything_... Only how worried should we be..." Jimmy spoke and found himself growing quite nervous when he stepped inside the big room. Nervous and curious. So this was what it looked like..?

Numerous empty paper cups, which had most likely been once filled with coffee, were all over the floor and tables. Even more than those empty cups, there were papers and pictures scattered all over the tables. And whiteboards were full of writings and numbers, which he tried to not stare at too much. To not make the impression he was trying to find out what wasn't meant for his eyes. There were handful of people in the room, some sleeping on the floor and some studying something quietly behind the small laptop.

"...no, no... What about the other one?"

"It doesn't fit with the last one... Can you go back further?"

It was only Tobias's voice which brought them for a moment out of their deep concentration. "I'm sorry for interrupting you. This is James Palmer. A close friend of Agent DiNozzo. You can keep working, I'm just showing that we are doing everything we can to find him."

The people who were awake, smiled tiredly or nodded their heads, before going back to work. Jimmy could only watch it all in awe. Sure, he had seen the NCIS teams at work many times before, but this was somehow very different from what he had seen before. Not to mention, there was some real teamwork happening here.

Tobias laid his hand on Jimmy's shoulder, startling him. "I'll go get some coffee for all of us. You can wait here."

Staring after the closed door for a moment, Jimmy turned his attention back towards the people there. Youngest one of them had his hands deep in his pockets and he was looking just as awkward as Jimmy was feeling. Neither one of them seemed to fit in, as far as their outward appearances went.

"I really hope I'm not disturbing you..." Jimmy worried and the man shook his head.

"No... Not at all..." Saying that, it was still obvious the man wasn't feeling as comfortable as he probably would have had this stranger not been there.

"Are you also one of the Agents..?" Jimmy asked, before realizing he was being rude. Just because the man looked the youngest and not your typical federal Agent, didn't mean he couldn't be one.

One of the Agents behind the table let out a frustrated growl, getting their attention. "I swear... Whenever it seems like we're finding a lead, something messes up the pattern or the handwork looks too different from the others to have been made by the same person..."

"I think it's your turn to get some sleep, Morgan..."

"I'll be fine. I can sleep once we get at least one good lead..."

"Does it have to be one person who's behind it..?" Jimmy spoke without thinking as he so often does, blushing deeply when the whole room of people went silent and everyone stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. Even one of the ones sleeping opened eyes because of the sudden silence in the room.

"I... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... You know... I just... I always speak before thinking... I'm sorry..."

"Of course... We have been so sure there's no way it can be more than one because of those first two cases, right? But we should still look at this again from that angle... Maybe we did miss something... Wouldn't hurt to double check, right..? I blame our lack of sleep and the other case still fresh in our minds..."

"Garcia, are you listening to us?" One of the women spoke in her phone, but Jimmy wasn't paying any attention to that anymore when Tobias returns in the room, with another Agent and fresh and hot coffee for everyone.

"Did I miss something?" Tobias asked surprised, seeing how the mood in the room had changed.

"I'm not sure..." Jimmy admitted just as confused, after accepting his cup of coffee.

"Come on. I'll show you to the-" Tobias started, but was interrupted by one of the men.

"It's alright. I don't mind if he's here for a little while."

Tobias glanced towards Jimmy, who looked as bemused as he felt. "Alright... If he feels up to it. Some of those details and pictures are rather disturbing..."

Jimmy, finally starting to realize what was happening, spoke out. "Agent Fornell... I was there when the last body was found and with my kind of work I must be able to handle some really horrible crime scenes..."

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" One of the Agents spoke again. Tobias simply shrugged and soon enough Jimmy found himself sitting between all of those seemingly scary FBI Agents. For a moment he had at least forgotten his awkwardness and how nervous he had been.

* * *

><p>Closing his eyes, Tony had to bite his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed, when he felt how the sharp blade cut again through his skin. As much as he tried to not make a sound, every once in a while he found himself letting out a pathetic little whimper. At this point however, he had gone way past the point to fully even feel all the pain anymore.<p>

A guinea pig. That's what he had found out he was. Just like all the other victims before him. Well, most of them anyway. '

All the unnecessary show and drama surrounding this case and then leaving one body to be found once a year, it was to distract the FBI and whoever else might have been after them. All that this was, was nothing but a few of so called 'art students' practicing their skills. Him and all the victims before him were just something to practice their skills on, of how to torture a person both mentally and physically. How to leave behind no evidence, how to leave their 'mark' on the victim if they chose to use one and how to choose the victim. You name it. How to make the brutal murder of a person in their eyes as some form of art. How to be a serial killer 101 and beyond. He dreaded to even think about all of those people who finally 'graduated'.

What this whole thing basically was, it was an underground classroom for people wanting to learn how to kill other people, for one reason or another. Yet another reason why he was glad to not have been raised by the internet and whoever he might have met in that web. Perhaps, had he been able to escape the reality through the internet during his own childhood, maybe he too would've ended up in a wrong group of people and... _No_. He didn't want to think he would have ever turned out like this.

It was insanity. All of this. Of course it was, and yet here he was. Strapped tightly against the wall. With his blood flowing almost gently, he could barely hear the 'master' explaining to his pupil how deep the cut should be, where to make the cut and what to do after it so that the victim didn't die too soon.

He was wondering if there would be anyone even looking for him right now. Maybe Tobias, but what could the man do if after all these years they hadn't been able to catch the killer? Which now had revealed to be a whole bunch of people. Some still nothing but kids who had somehow lost their way.

Although at this point most of the drugs were out of his system, he was weakened by the slow but constant loss of blood. In his mind he cursed silently both his own stupidity for not having listened to Tobias's advice to not leave too far from the man, and most likely the people guarding him in secret, and his own team who never even bothered to make sure if he was following them.

Flinching when the blade cut deeper this time, he was glad that it was this form of torture, instead of the constant 'head under water' treatment he had gone through few hours ago. Not being able to breathe was at this point the only thing he truly didn't wish to go through again. Ever.

Seeing how the edges of his vision started to fade again, Tony smiled. _Finally_...

_ **End of Part 7.** _


	8. Lesson Number 10

**- PART 8 -**

_**(Lesson number 10: How to become immortal)** _

It was a moment he'd been waiting for since the beginning almost. Whenever he wasn't drugged or unconscious. Waiting for that moment when he was completely alone and when they were thinking he was too weak and out of it to move even a finger anymore. Sure, maybe he _was_ too weak to be doing anything now, but it wasn't like he had any other options.

Trying to not think about the mess which he was or how he had to be looking pretty close to one of those ugly creatures from those zombie movies, Tony slowly sat up, using a chair as his support. He was thankful that after the last 'lesson', they hadn't drugged him or tied him up. By some unknown power, which he hadn't even know he possessed, he slowly stood up on his feet. Willing his feet to move, he started taking one step at a time. It couldn't be really called walking as he was dragging his feet after each utterly painful step.

"...one, two... buckle my shoe..." He found himself half mumbling, half humming some silly children's song. Just to focus on something other than the agony.

"...three... four..." He coughed and had to stop for a while, nearly passing out, but there was no way he could let that happen. After a while he took another painfully slow step.

"Three, four... open... the door... Five... Five, six... Maybe I... I should've... picked a better song... Sinatra..." He had to stop again. Blinking his eyes slowly, he was feeling confused. What was he doing exactly..? _Oh. Right... Walking_.

"Pick up sticks..." He stopped again. Why _was_ he walking?

"Home." _Where?_

"You know where." _No, I don't_. Furrowing his brows, Tony glanced around himself, feeling utterly confused. What was he doing again..?_  
><em>

"Focus, Anthony... focus..." He scolded himself and kept walking.

Ever since the last couple rounds of those mind games, with their '_artistic freedom_' in it and of course all the drugs in between, he found it was getting harder and harder trying to keep his head clear. And he still had no idea how long he'd been there. It felt like months, but surely it couldn't be that long. So far the last victims had been always found on halloween and by the time 'Jack' with couple of his students took him, it had been... _Wait_... How long from the day had it been..?

Tony stopped again and rubbing his forehead, he ended up staring at his hands. Why was there so much blood? "Who's hurt? Boss?"

Turning his head from one side to another, he looked around himself. He was so sure Gibbs had been there with him. So why wasn't the man there? He did promise to stay with him and watch his six. Told him to keep fighting and he had. "So where did you go then, boss..?"

* * *

><p>It was getting late when Gibbs was sitting quietly in his car. Drinking his coffee and observing the doors. He had gotten a word that Fornell would be going to meet someone and there was no way he could possibly just stay away any longer. It had been almost a week since they lost Tony and he still knew nothing. The only time he looked away from the doors was when his car door opened and someone sat next to him. "Why are you here, Abbs?"<p>

"I'm worried too..."

The tight lines on Gibbs's face softened a little. "I know you are..."

"I know you're still mad at me, Gibbs... And you have every right to be... But why can't we go back to how the things were before..? You never come to my lab anymore... Always sending someone else... Haven't I been punished enough already..?"

The tight lines were back and for a while Gibbs didn't say anything. What could he possibly do to make the woman understand that what she did was wrong? It didn't seem like she truly did... Even McGee had understood faster and while working in a team that wasn't treating him like their golden boy, he was now stuttering more than as a probie. Never having been so meek than now. And after he had tried asking once how long he would have to be with those people, one look of the Gibbs's glare and he gave up.

Abby wasn't part of his, _official_, team so he couldn't punish her as her boss either. Just what could he do to shake her into reality? Had she been a man, he would've dragged her ass in the sparring ring without asking any questions. There was no way he could have even done so much as slapped her on the face though. She was... She was _Abby_. He knew he had maybe spoiled her too much, but how could he not..?

"I'm not sure you even understand what you've done, Abbs..." He spoke softly.

"I do."

"You _know_ what you did, but you don't _understand_ what you did."

Abby was confused. Not understanding what her dear Bossman was trying to tell her. Any further explanation had to be left for later since that's when Tobias walked outside with... Was that Palmer? _Their_ Palmer?

"Gibbs?"

"Wait here, Abby. If I see you following me, you won't like the consequences."

"But, Gibbs..."

Closing the door at the pleading voice, Gibbs jogged until he reached the two men who had stopped, having seen him.

"Jethro..." Tobias spoke. He had dark circles around his eyes and strangely enough Palmer wasn't looking a whole lot better himself.

"Why is _he_ with you, Tobias?" Gibbs asked, studying the two men. While Tobias had the perfect poker face, Palmer blushed furiously and looked down at his feet.

Narrowing his eyes, Gibbs finally put two and two together. "You keep _me_ out of _this_ case of all the cases out there, yet you let in someone who _should_ be kept out? He's not one of your Agents! He's not even one of _our_ Agents!"

Jimmy, before even noticing it himself, started slowly disappearing somewhere behind Tobias. All the bravery and confidence which he had gained these last days, seemed to be gone in an instant. _Of course_ Agent Gibbs was right. Even _he_ didn't understand why he'd been made from a little helper to part of the '_save Agent DiNozzo_' team.

"Actually, Jethro... Our friend here has been a great help with solving this case. It was thanks to him that we finally found our first lead and by now we have taken several years worth steps forward with this case. I wouldn't be shocked if he'd be told to think about changing his career after this. We are _this_ close to solving it, Jethro. Now _I swear_ that if you don't stop bothering us, I will shoot you myself."

Other than from a few other people in his life, Jimmy hadn't had such great praises declared about him and this felt far too much for his head to be dealing with. Surely Agent Fornell was saying all of that only for his sake? Breena would never believe him _if_ he'd ever be allowed to share even half of the things he'd experienced during these days. Most likely he wouldn't. After all they had made him sign that piece of paper, after realizing it would make things a whole lot easier for everyone...

"Go home, Jethro. And stop drinking both your bourbon and coffee at the same time. People can smell you from miles away..."

"Tobias..." Gibbs knew he sounded desperate, but he didn't care.

His friend shook his head. "Go home."

Cursing silently when the men left, Gibbs took out his phone. If there really was no other way, then he would have to use one of the favors people owed him...

* * *

><p>Simson was singing softly a song, which in his mind fit perfectly the moment, while he unlocked and opened the big barn doors. It was time. He liked to stay in his schedule, so he had decided to start early. Just in case. For some reason the one he had chosen this time seemed like he'd be hard to kill. More than anything else in the whole world he hated when his schedule didn't go as he had planned.<p>

"Anthony. It's time, my friend." He spoke as he stepped in the darkness where only the moon from the open doors and the tiny window above were giving the light. Walking to where he knew they had left the man, he frowned and squinted his eyes when he didn't see him there.

"Anthony?"

Hearing a sound behind him, Simson turned around sharply. What he saw, might have made someone else freeze in horror, but in his eyes the scene was the most beautiful he had ever seen and so he smiled proudly. "Perfect... It looks so perfect..."

Staggering, as he was trying to remain standing on his feet, Tony grinned. Revealing his blood covered teeth. The moonlight from behind him made him look almost like a creature from your worst nightmares. With blood dripping constantly from his wounds, it was a miracle he was still standing let alone alive. But with DiNozzo in question, ordinary didn't happen and impossible became possible.

"Hello, 'Jack'... It's me." He chuckled at his own private joke and staggered closer. Reaching out his arms on instinct when Tony started falling forward, Simson's eyes went wide when he felt something sharp pierce through his abdomen area.

"DiNozzo rule number... something: Don't..." Tony closed his eyes for a moment and squeezed the handle of the blade. He really didn't feel good at all...

"Don't leave your little... torture devices... Near your victim..." Pulling the blade out, he almost hit with it again, but stopped when the man started laughing.

"What could be... so funny?"

Simson chuckled, leaning heavily against the other man. "Why do you think... I've been really doing this... for all these years..? _My_ lesson number... ten, Anthony..."

"Enough with the 'lessons'..."

"Then let me ask... How can a man become... immortal in this world? ...As a young boy I always... loved the Greek mythology... And so I started searching for a way... how to..."

"Shut up already..."

"I will... always exist in that... head of yours..." Simson laughed again, before it turned into coughing.

"Unless you die, of course... But there'll always be... the seeds which I've planted for years... And those seeds will... spread and..."

Pushing the man on the ground with his adrenaline filled body, Tony hit the blade in the body under him again. Before he knew it, he had lost himself into the need to silence that ever laughing voice. Not realizing that most of it was inside his own head. By the time he finally stopped, the laughter had stopped long ago.

_ **End of Part 8.  
><strong> _


	9. At The Darkest Hour

**- PART 9 -**

_**(At the darkest hour our glimpse of hope shines the brightest)** _

It was his phone ringing which woke Gibbs early in the morning. Sitting up, he just stared for a moment at his ringing cell in the darkness of the basement. _Fornell_...

It was 3 AM and today was finally _the_ day. Halloween. The day when all the victims would usually be found. Dead.

Although no one still had told him anything about this case, in his gut he knew it. Either Tony indeed had gotten too close to the killer or then the younger man himself was the victim now. Knowing DiNozzo's infamous 'luck', maybe both. He really should just lock up the trouble magnet and never let him out again without constant supervision.

He hated this. Hated how no matter what he did, no one even let him help. How else could he possibly make up for all the times he hadn't been watching the man's six, like he had so many times promised he would do? Finally he had even went so far as trying to cash in a few favors, but the response was always '_no_'. Someone had to have been making sure that was the case. Maybe Fornell? But the man didn't even know all the people who owed him. So who..? Maybe it would stay as a mystery forever, but right now none of that mattered.

With a trembling hand, Gibbs wiped his fingers over his tired face and then the realization finally hit him. The thing which he hadn't allowed himself to even think. What if Tony really was dead? No... It _couldn't_ be... "No... Don't you dare... _Don't you dare_..."

Trembling so hard that he nearly dropped the phone several times, Gibbs finally answered it. Unable to speak anything, he was grateful when Tobias started talking before he even had the chance.

_"Finally! What took you so long?"_

Gibbs remained quiet. Knowing there was no way he could get any manly sounds out of his mouth right now and still trembling, he had to hold the phone with his both hands.

_"Jethro... I'm not sure how to... Look... We found Tony... He's alive..."_

Gibbs relaxed too soon. The next words made his heart freeze in fear again.

_"He's... Oh God... We don't think he's going to make it, Jethro... When we found him, he... All over... And his head... And..."_

"Tobias..." Gibbs finally whispered, when Tobias himself seemed to have a hard time holding himself together. Was that a sound of sob which he heard?

After a moment of silence, Tobias finally spoke again. With a tight voice, as if trying to keep his voice steady and emotions under control._ "I'm on my way to the hospital now... I'm following the ambulance and... I don't know how he... We already lost him once I think... Not sure... I just... If we'd only been just a little faster..!"_

"Tobias... The hospital... Which hospital?" Gibbs spoke with calmness which didn't match his inner turmoil. Getting the answer he ended the call and without thinking that someone might try to call him again or that he might want to call the others, he threw his phone against the wall, swearing loudly.

* * *

><p>Several hours before that dreadful phone call, Tony was laying in a pool of blood. Only some of it was his though.<p>

Laying on his side, he had a distant thought that he really should get up and get away before any of those 'students' decided to return. But with the source of his anger and hatred now dead, he couldn't bring out any inhuman strength or willpower out of himself anymore. Staring at the lifeless blue eyes staring back at him, he wondered why he felt so oddly pleased by this. Sure, the man was a criminal who deserved to die, but this kind of feeling couldn't be good either...

Little by little, Tony finally managed to turn on his back and instead of those eyes, he was staring at the dark ceiling.

He didn't know how much time had passed, maybe minutes or maybe hours, but after a while he finally sighed. Why was he fighting anyway? For who and for what? Knowing the kind of case this was, no one would find him. Not before he had been dead for God knows how long. He almost laughed at the image of someone finding this place in the future. Maybe coming here for some shelter? Or maybe it would be a pair of lovers, thinking they'd have some 'fun' together in here? And then they'd stumble across two skeletons... With any 'luck' he could become some urban legend.

"...so tired anyway..."

He stared at the light which the moon was giving and he would've laughed if he had been able to, so instead he just smirked weakly. How ironic... At his last moments his mind was somewhat clear again... Where was it when he had actually needed it? Now he was thinking all kinds of useless thoughts... Yet he couldn't remember one single movie quote. How tragic was that?

Closing his eyes for a moment, he thought he heard something. Several something. Cars driving... People running and yelling at something. When he was starting to think he was having hallucinations again, someone was lifting up his head. Swearing softly and then calling his name.

Slowly, very slowly, he opened his eyes once more and smiled at the horrified look on the face that was looking down at him. "You're late..."

Jimmy, in a complete shock for a short moment and wishing that Ducky would have been there with him, swallowed deeply and forced himself to forget his feelings for now and got into his doctor mode. Doing what could be done until the ambulance would arrive.

Tony was about to close his eyes again when Jimmy, surprising even himself, yelled out sharply and even slapped at his fading friend's bloody cheek. "Hey!"

"Hm..?"

"Blue lights. Remember? Hold that thought. Got it? You're not allowed to give up. Not now."

"Hmm..." Tony smiled again, finally losing his battle against the darkness which was trying to pull him with it. His last thoughts were that perhaps he _did_ have a reason or two to not give up yet after all...

* * *

><p>Pacing in the waiting room area, Tobias kept glancing towards the closed doors where he knew Tony was. A while ago both Palmer and Dr. Mallard had been there with him, but they had disappeared somewhere, trying to find out exactly just how serious the situation was. Not that they really needed a doctor's opinion... Tobias shuddered when he remembered again what kind of scene had waited for them in that old barn. Sure, the smell had been horrible, but it was nothing compared to...<p>

"Tobias... Tony... How..?""

He looked over his shoulder and saw that Gibbs was standing there. Not looking that good, but most likely same could be said about him.

"The doctors haven't said anything yet... Both Mallard and Palmer went to find out..."

"No... I mean... How bad was it when you found him, Tobias..?"

"For the love of... Jethro, I can't think about that right now..." Tobias closed his eyes for a moment, but still feeling the man's stare, he sighed and hardened himself in order to go through what he did know.

"Blood. There was so much blood. It was hard to truly even see all the damage under it... If he lives through it, it's going to leave some impressive scars... I don't know what they were trying to do to him... Cut off his scalp or something... And his whole body... I don't know how he's still alive... There's no way he should be still alive..."

"He's DiNozzo..." Gibbs stated proudly, but his voice shook when he said it. _He_ should have been there!

Seeing the look on the other man's face, Tobias spoke tiredly. "Jethro... Don't even think about it."

"You kept me from the case, Tobias! If I had been there, I-!"

"You _what_, Jethro? If I remember correctly, you haven't been '_watching his six_' for a while! You had your head so deep in who knows where, for so long, that I couldn't trust for you to do the job well! I couldn't take that chance! And you're the one who kept interrupting when we were trying to work!"

"Oh, cut it, Tobias! You and I both know that-!"

Ducky's fury filled voice shut them up. "Be _quiet_, you two! Do you _not_ want to be here? Now is not the time to point your fingers at anyone. Our friend needs us and he needs for us to _behave_."

The two Agents looked sheepish and guilty.

"How's... How is he..?" Gibbs finally spoke and Ducky sighed deeply. Definitely not a good sign.

"I think it would be wise to start making calls..."

Gibbs stared, but before he could unleash his fury again, Ducky touched his shoulder. "Now is not the time for that, Jethro..."

"Then what are we supposed to be doing then!?"

"Like I said... Start making phone calls and... Well... And pray. All we can do is hope for yet another miracle..."

Gibbs looked determined. "He'll make it."

"Jethro..."

"I said, he'll make it!"

"Behave, you two... I will go find Mr. Palmer... I am afraid that poor young man did not take the news all too well either..." Ducky shook his head. The men were quiet for a long time after he left.

"If only we had been just a little bit faster..." Tobias finally spoke.

Gibbs snorted, but doesn't say anything to _that_. "So, I've heard you and Tony have become quite...close."

"_Somebody_ had to look after him, when he was willing to just give up..." Tobias muttered with just as much bite and Gibbs flinched, deciding to leave the matter alone for now.

Several hours later there were several people with them in there. Even McGee and Abby had finally been told about the situation and they had joined the others soon after. It was hardly any surprise that DiNozzo Senior never picked up the phone and so, as usual, he wasn't there with the others.

After some more time of waiting, the doctor finally walked in the room. Looking tired and covered in blood, which didn't look all that promising as a first sign. "I don't want you to have your hopes too high, but if he'll make it through the next couple of nights and days, he'll live..."

The relief which flooded through the group of people in there could not be put into any words. Although the doctor didn't seem all too hopeful, for them that sounded much better than the fifteen percent survival rate years ago. When there was hope, even if just the tiniest amount, if anyone then Tony could beat the odds set against him.

_ **End of Part 9.** _


	10. I'm Fine

**- PART 10 -**

_**(I'm fine. Really.)** _

"DiNozzo... Do I have to feed you? I will do it if I have to, so don't test me." Gibbs had meant for it to be a half joke, but seeing the way the younger man lost all the little color he had from his face, he knew he had crossed yet another invisible line he hadn't known about. Then he realized the cause of it. There was no way Tony could have eaten on his own during the time he was in 'that place', so the only way for him to have been eating or drinking anything was if that bastard or one of those 'students' had fed him.

"I didn't mean..."

"Forget it. Give it to me." Tony had closed off his emotions from his face, as he had done even more than normally ever since he woke up for the first time. He was holding out his hand towards the hospital 'food' and Gibbs sighed, giving the spoon.

It had been over a month since that fear filled night and early morning hours of whether or not the younger man would survive. And as far as the physical health went, Tony had once again far surpassed the odds given to him, but when it came to his mental status... No one was any wiser. From the outside it looked like everything was fine, almost perfect. But anyone knowing the man knew what his '_I'm fine_' usually meant. And when he said it with a wide smile, things had to be _really_ wrong. But no one seemed to be able to get him to open up. Tony had given his official statement with enough details, without letting anyone actually see inside his head.

What made Gibbs even sadder was that there was now a strong brick wall between him and Tony. They were friendly with each other and Tony still called him boss. But there no longer was that special and one of a kind connection, which they used to have long time ago. It pained Gibbs whenever Tony treated him like most other people out there. It didn't make him any happier that both Abby and McGee received similar treatment. Although, neither of those two seemed to notice anything different.

The only 'good' thing out of this all seemed to be the shock treatment which Abby received from the moment they were finally allowed to see the man. Looking more like a mummy, it was very telling how bad the wounds had to have been and how many, when they could barely even see his unconscious face. It had pained Gibbs to see the realization finally dawn and the reality hit the woman hard. Both the current situation and her own actions.

At least McGee seemed to be somewhat happy. Having taken on himself the job of being the 'servant' for Tony, who was enjoying this little change maybe a little too much, though there had been a frown on his face when he thought no one was looking.

"Did Jimmy tell you when Toby would return from his trip?" Tony asked, bringing Gibbs back to the current time. The question made him scowl. _Toby this and Toby that_. He was getting sick of hearing it...

"I don't know. I'm sure they'll let you know themselves." He snapped and Tony raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything as he pretended to eat some of the food every once in a while.

"DiNozzo... _Eat_."

"I'd much rather have some pizza... No one in their right mind would be calling this _thing_ a food..." Tony mumbled and Gibbs smirked. At least _some_ things hadn't changed... Then he frowned, thinking that what if this was all just an act? To try to make him think everything was normal...

"Boss. Stop giving me that look. I'm fine. Really." Tony sighed, rubbing his head around his hairline. Gibbs pulled his hand away.

"Stop that."

"It's so terribly itchy... Drives me nuts..." Tony complained with a small pout and Gibbs smiled sadly, trying to not look too hard, knowing that was just one of the many scars which the man would have to carry everywhere with him now. He surely didn't want to make Tony think he was constantly staring at him because of them. He was unaware how much more annoying this '_lets pretend we're not staring at him and thinking about it_' behavior was for the younger man who of course had noticed that early on.

"I know... Just... Bear with it..."

Tony gave Gibbs his ugliest looks at that comment, but didn't say anything.

"Come on... Try to eat some. I won't be leaving anywhere until you've finished the whole thing..." To Gibbs's both relief and sorrow, that finally made the younger man start eating. Why had things gone so wrong..?

* * *

><p>McGee hesitated at the door. Maybe this wasn't a good idea? Maybe he should wait until Tony was doing way better than this, before opening up any old wounds...<p>

Without looking at the open door, Tony spoke from his bed where he was reading some magazine. "Are you coming or not, McWorry?"

Embarrassed, McGee finally stepped inside the room and closed the door after him. Sitting next to the bed, he found himself at loss of words so Tony made up his mind for him.

"So... How's Ziva? I'm _surprised_ I have neither seen nor heard of her."

McGee made a face. "I heard she ran back home..."

Tony chuckled. He'd guessed something like that by now. Putting the magazine down, he rubbed his forehead gently. "Good for her..."

"Tony... I..." McGee swallowed.

"I know Tim. You don't have to say it. I understand. It's fine."

'_Tim_'... "No. Tony, _please_... Let me say it..."

Tony sighed and then finally nodded. "Shoot it then."

"I'm not going to just... Tony... In all honesty, I don't even know that person who I was only a little while ago... And I can't put all the blame on Ziva either... I have no right to even ask for your forgiveness, so I'm not going to ask for it, but I am sorry... I can't... I can't change what has happened or what I've done... I won't repeat those mistakes again though... That's all I can give you now..."

Tony smiled slightly. "Alright, McMature. Take it easy. You'll do fine, as long as you keep your hold on that new backbone of yours."

McGee blushed, but he couldn't really say anything against that. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "I'm sure you know by now that all of us have worried if you truly are 'fine'... How are you _really_ dealing with all of this? And... will _we_ ever be anything called close again..? I know I have no right to ask any of that..."

Tony looked thoughtful. "_My dad once told me that life is a trick done with mirrors. You look at something from one direction, it looks like one thing; you turn it over, it looks like something else. I guess he was right. Sometimes it's hard to tell who's a real friend, and who's just an illusion in glass._"

McGee looked confused. "Your dad told you that?"

"No, McConfused, Magnum did."

"But you just said... Never mind..." McGee shook his head, smiling sadly. He couldn't help but wonder if _he_ was that 'illusion in glass'. He truly hoped he could change that, but he wasn't so sure Tony would let that happen... And really, who could blame the man..?

"Don't look so down, McGloomy."

"Enough with the nicknames, Tony..." McGee scowled halfheartedly.

* * *

><p>Sitting at the very end of the dock, Tony just stared at the water in front of him. Sitting there like that and looking at the ever moving waters, it felt almost like sitting in the middle of the ocean and it was perfect. Almost as if he was all alone in the world. The waves hitting the rocks had a calming effect on him and he closed his eyes. Enjoying having the cold wind around him. Playfully messing up his perfectly combed hair. Abby would be so upset, seeing how her hard work was now gone with the wind.<p>

He didn't even flinch when a warm coat suddenly landed over his shoulders and he spoke without opening his eyes. "Hi, boss."

"You left behind a hospital full of people in a full panic mode."

Gibbs grimaced when his bad knee made a nasty sound as he carefully lowered himself down, until he was sitting next to the younger man. He wasn't going to admit how afraid he himself had been the moment he found out DiNozzo had disappeared from his hospital bed, without anyone having seen anything. Or how he had gone almost crazy, trying to find him.

Tony opened his eyes and glanced towards the older man. He smiled shortly, although the smile never reached his eyes. "Couldn't take it anymore. Those walls and that hospital smell. And as much as I love the nurses and my visitors, I couldn't handle being treated like some porcelain doll all the time. It's not like this is _the_ worse thing I have ever had happen to me."

Gibbs felt saddened by the truth of that last statement. And not for the first time, he wanted to have a 'talk' with Senior who still hadn't even called to find out how his own and only son was doing. Oh, he sure wanted to have that 'talk'... Just not with his words.

"And I really needed some time alone to think. _Really_ think. Before some shrink starts to analyze me and decides whether my mental status is good enough so that I can be let out in the world on my own without someone holding my hand all the time."

"You could have told me, DiNozzo. Instead you made everyone think something might have happened to you again."

"Could I? I admit I _should_ have told someone, but in all honesty, Gibbs... I can only truly trust myself when it comes to watching my six."

That hurt. And he wasn't sure how to answer to that. What hurt however even more was when he saw the look in Tony's eyes. The younger man wasn't even expecting him to say anything or to have anything worth saying anyway. It was almost like it was expected of him to either have nothing to say or ruin everything by saying the wrong thing.

Not for the first time, Gibbs realized how hard it was for him having talks like these. Well, at least they were hard when it really mattered. "DiNozzo… If you had just told me…"

"Told you what? That not for the first time, you left me hanging there with your team? Those two who both had their own interests in the game. Things that are far more important than keeping your team working together and watching each others backs."

"_Our_ team, Tony…" Gibbs said softly and Tony snorted.

"Let's not even go there right now, _boss_. And I will hold myself back from listing all the things which makes that not true."

Seeing Tony rubbing his forehead with his fingers and the pained look on his face, Gibbs held out that bottle of pills which the younger man had left behind in his hospital room. Instead of accepting it, Tony just stared at the waters before them.

"I don't think I will be visiting your basement anytime soon, boss." Not like he had done that for a long time now anyway.

"I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Although Tony had a pretty good idea what the '_sorry_' was for. The only problem was however that he didn't feel like he could take it seriously. Not when that someone was someone like Gibbs. The man who would say one thing and do the other. '_Do as I say and not as I do_' man.

"For not watching your six since… I don't even know when this all started. Maybe I haven't still completely recovered from the memory loss. Even I don't know how to explain this…"

"You can't blame that explosion for everything, boss. Truth be told, this whole thing might have started during the time we had Kate with us."

Gibbs tried digging around his memory, but unsurprisingly he came up with nothing. Had he not been paying any attention? Never seen how the things between his team members were since those days? Or did he really just not remember?

"Don't worry about it too much, boss. I'll be fine. We all will. One way or another." Tony kept rubbing his forehead and finally accepted the bottle of pills. Gibbs stared as he dry swallowed them, having paid no attention to how many he ended up taking.

"And I'm still alive. I may have my moments of doubt about whether that is a good thing or not, but... I am still alive. That must mean something right? There's been too many times when I have grieved over the bad cards God must have given to me. Since it seems there's no way anyone could win with those. But then again it wouldn't be the first time I beat the odds. Besides... I _chose_ this kind of work."

"You didn't sign up for what you went through now and before."

Tony chuckled. "I guess the reality _is _a little bit different from what they teach you at school."

Worried as Gibbs was, he decided that now was not the time to bring up the question '_but how are you really doing_?' He didn't think he would get any other answer than the patented '_I'm fin_e'.

"Ducky mentioned he knows a doctor who can help removing that tattoo."

Tony looked strangely startled. "Remove the tattoo..? Nah... To be honest, it terrifies me. The idea of how it would be done... Maybe some day I will do it, but... I'm not ready yet. Think I will keep it for now. As a reminder. Until I think I can handle even the thought of letting someone anywhere near me to get rid of it."

"DiNozzo..."

"Don't get me wrong, boss. Not as a reminder about all the bad things, but a reminder for me to not trust anyone ever again."

Studying the calm face for a while, Gibbs sighed. "Alright then. Let me know when you're ready."

"I don't need you to be holding my hand."

"I know." _But if you need, I'll do it anyway_... Gibbs added in his mind. As good '_I really am fine_' act as the younger man was able to put on, he wasn't fooled. Somehow he just knew that there was more going on under the surface. The question was, when would it all come out? Sooner or later would come the need to get some air and Gibbs was determined to be there when that time came.

"Come on. Let's go home. Neither of us wants to upset your friends if you end up back in a hospital for sitting here in cold weather. Not even dressed properly."

Rolling his eyes, Tony let Gibbs help him to stand up on his feet.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs spoke once they were both sitting inside his warm car.

"We're good?" He didn't mean to make it sound more like a statement rather than a question, but it was too late to regret it now. Silence however wasn't what he wanted as an answer, but neither was what the young man finally said when he did speak.

"Yeah. Sure."

'_Yeah._ _Sure_'? What kind of answer was that? Was it '_yes, we're good_.' Or was it sarcasm? He was worried. Not only was he unsure about the answer which he was given, he also realized DiNozzo had so far not once asked when he could come back to work.

"Oh. And Tony. You're coming to my place."

Tony didn't say anything, but the deep sigh said more than any words could.

Starting the car engine, Gibbs glanced towards the passenger seat. "You could have at least tried to find some clothes to put on before going anywhere. How did you make it all the way here anyway? Did you really just walk around like that with your ass uncovered?"

Tony leaned against the car window and stared at the scenery. "I smiled."

** _The End._ **


	11. Epilogue

**- EPILOGUE -**

_**(That wasn't what I meant when I said I need a vacation...)** _

Tony stepped inside his apartment, shaking his head several times to get rid of the mist in his head which was trying to confuse his mind. That cursed headache... For months with no end it had tortured him. Sometimes more and sometimes less. And whenever he was trying to unlock some of those hidden memories from his times with 'Jack', it felt like it would kill him or at least drive him mad.

It was getting harder and harder trying to act like nothing was wrong with him and then he also kept having that feeling of someone watching him. Usually he realized it was Gibbs or anyone else who was still not too sure if he really was alright, but too often there was no one around and it creeped him out more than he was willing to admit even to himself. It made him paranoid and skittish. Knowing that most of Jack's 'students' were still somewhere out there, didn't make things any easier for him.

Feeding his goldfish, he sighed. "Don't look at me like that, Kate. I know I should talk to someone. But you know how they are... Maybe I really should accept Fornell's job offer this time... McGee is doing much better too and while still not ready to be Gibbs's second, I know he'll be able to swallow his pride if someone else gets my place..."

He was blinking his eyes when he felt dizziness hit him like a wave of gentle waters. It felt so tempting to just give in and let his mind shut down for a while. Perhaps then he would also get some much needed rest. Although, sleeping wasn't something he was looking forward to in these days either.

"I know, I know. I won't. I told you to not look at me like that. I'll call Jimmy later. Or maybe Tobias. Not Ducky, he'd worry too much..." Tony muttered.

Shaking his head again to clear his mind, he went in his kitchen. He barely glanced inside the full fridge which Palmer had filled up with McGee's just a little too eager help. After another wave of dizziness, with a feeling of nausea added in this time, Tony made a face and slammed the door close. So much for even thinking about eating something.

As if knowing he was in no mood for any company, someone was at the door and knocking loudly. Each time the fist hit the door, the noise felt like someone was hammering his brains. Trying to break through whatever barrier was still keeping him away from insanity. Feeling like several veins had just popped in his head when the knocking at his door wouldn't stop, Tony held back the urge to finally snap and start yelling and throwing things.

Shaking his head as he was this time trying to both ignore the pain and to clear his head, Tony walked to the door. The person standing there was definitely on his list of '_do not want to see, hear or even know of_'. "Director... What a surprise to see _you_ here."

Tony let the man in, closing the door after him. Rubbing his forehead with his fingers, he snorted. He should have known it from the way the man had behaved around him lately... And now there was also that too familiar feeling in his gut again. "Let me guess... '_Need to know_'? How big, if we can't have this conversation at work?"

Vance gave him a file, which he took not so gently. Taking one glance at the '_top secret_' information and he wanted to just hit the other man on the face with it and tell him exactly where he could stick it. "And just how long would this little '_vacation_' take?"

"As long as it takes."

"Why me? Surely you know I'm still not at top condition after the last... '_mishap_'. Or should I say mishaps?"

Vance was smug. "As far as everyone knows, you're back to your usual self and there are no problems at work either. Unless you lied to the 'shrink', of course."

_Son of_... "How many would know of this? Correction: How many people knows?"

"Only me and few others. The more people are in this, the more dangerous it would be for us all."

"Who would be my contact?"

"I am." A familiar voice spoke.

Vance stared when the man walked in the room as if he'd done it many times before. "Tobias Fornell. What a surprise to see you here... How did you get in?"

"I have the key." Tobias showed the thing, before it disappeared back inside his pocket. Tony hid his smile at the openly bemused look on Vance's face, who was trying to figure out what he had missed out.

"I... see... I'm afraid me and my Agent have a private conversation, so if you would-"

Tobias interrupted him. "Actually... The contact has been changed."

"What?" Was Vance's reaction before he even began to think how Fornell even knew of this _top secret_ situation in the first place.

"I made sure that either I will be the contact or this 'top secret' of yours will be blown off on all your faces. My Director didn't take the threat all too lightly, but I had another ace of secrets in my sleeve, which he was even less happy about being revealed so here I am. Either I am the contact or DiNutso won't be part of this."

Vance was quiet for a moment, but nodded then. "I will call your Director and make sure that really is the case. Meanwhile, pack your bags, Agent DiNozzo. You will be leaving in one hour. I will personally take you to the airport."

"_Airport_?" Tony gaped after the man when he left, then he turned to look at his friend who shrugged.

"Toby... I haven't even had enough time yet to go through the files... What do you know? I assume you know _something_ or you wouldn't be in this now. If this is '_Jenny mission number two_', I'll rather put a bullet through my own brains." And the way his headache was almost blinding him, he was ready to go for it anyway.

Tobias frowned and looked sharply at the younger man. "No... It's not like that. I don't like them using you again, but try as I did, even my threats couldn't stop it. So this is as good as I could do. I'll be watching your back. I'm sorry I couldn't stop this and so soon after not only 'Jack', but that murder case."

Rubbing his temples, Tony smiled bitterly. "It's a whole lot more than many others have done for me, Toby."

The frown on Tobias's face grew deeper. Had things still not become better between the man and his team?

"Hey. You're going to get more wrinkles if you keep making that face. Don't worry too much. You've already packed your things? Then you can help me pack mine and maybe we'll get some time to go through the files together... To see if it's something I should not be getting myself into..."

"What would you do then, Tony? Simply saying no won't do much with these kind of people..."

Tony shrugged. He didn't even have time to think about the other options. "I guess I'll just disappear if it gets that bad... Of course you can always try to stop me..."

Tobias looked thoughtful and then shook his head. "If it gets to that, I'll help you. You won't be alone in this."

Studying the Agent's face for any lies, Tony smiled uncertainly. "Thank you..."

** _TO BE CONTINUED..?_ **


	12. Jack's Lost Chapter

**- PART 1½ -**

**JACK'S LOST CHAPTER**

_ **(When Gibbs was gone, again)** _

Walking in the bullpen, Tony sighed in relief that he had still good few minutes left before the work would officially start. Getting late _really_ didn't feel such a good idea when Gibbs had lately been in a mood where it was pretty much impossible to tell what would make their boss angry. He _had_ tried to make Gibbs talk to him since it was affecting them all and finally even their work. The man had brushed it off as nothing. Saying he was just being himself on a bad day.

"Boss is not here yet?" McGee asked, dropping his things next to his own desk, having just rushed out of the elevator a few seconds before.

Tony chuckled, making himself look relaxed and as if he'd been there for some time already. "Haven't seen him and none of his things seem to be here yet either. Maybe our boss will be late?"

With a dreamy look, he imagined how to make fun of Gibbs if that would be the case. Of course in reality he wouldn't be doing that, but it was still fun to imagine it. Except that even in his imagination it ends with a painful head slap.

McGee looked skeptic. "I doubt that... I think with the way he's lately been at our necks if we're even a second late, it would be a little too odd for _him_ to be late..."

"Whatever you say..." Tony shrugged it off. McGee obviously didn't remember their boss was one of those '_you do as I say and not as I do_' people. Oh, right... How could he forget it? It was usually only _him_ who noticed silly little things like that.

He started his computer and grinned when he heard someone running, having used the stairs in case the elevator would get stuck as it had done last week. What was this? 'Let's all come to work at the last minute' day?

"Way to go, ninja! You made it!" He cheered, getting a scowl from Ziva as she pretty much dropped herself on the chair behind her desk. She was looking like she had just ran to work all the way from home. Before Ziva could answer, Tony's phone started ringing. Taking a look at the name on the screen, he furrowed his brows. It pretty much never was a good sign when Vance called him...

"Director..." He answered and listened patiently when the man spoke, perfectly aware of the two sets of prying ears trying to listen.

"I'm on my way..."

Both McGee and Ziva gave him questioning looks, but he pretended to be ignorant as he stood up. "Tell boss I'm with the Director if he asks."

Stepping in the Director's office hadn't been something he'd enjoyed doing ever since Jenny's time as the Director. Then came Vance and the man had not made it any better. Tony prayed silently in his mind that this would be over soon and it wouldn't be some '_need you to do some dirty work for someone_' situation again. Honestly, he really didn't feel like he was up to one of those anytime soon, if ever. Maybe his age was finally catching up on him?

"Is something amusing you, Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asked and Tony realized he had laughed out loud. He coughed, trying to mask rest of his laughter with that.

"No, sir."

"Hmm..." Vance took a new toothpick and chewed on it for some time without saying anything, just studying the Agent with unreadable expression on his face, making Tony feel as if he was back in school and standing in the principal's office.

"You called me, saying it's important." He finally spoke and Vance blinked. Seems the man had completely forgotten why he had made that phone call in the first place.

"Right... As of today, you will be made temporary team leader of your team."

"What..? What about Gibbs?" Tony frowned. The hairs of his neck stood up and he had a nasty feeling that this wasn't good.

"Agent Gibbs has a situation to deal with. He'll be gone for a few months."

"Situation?" The frown on Tony's face grew deeper. Why hadn't Gibbs said anything to them? To him?

"Maybe longer."

"What is this... 'situation' you mentioned?"

"Agent Gibbs will tell about it himself."

"But he's alright?"

"He was last time I saw him."

That surely didn't ease the worry or the bad feeling which Tony now had. "You can't just tell me what this 'situation' is?"

"I promised to let him tell you himself."

Tony frowned again. If Gibbs hadn't told them anything so far, what would guarantee he'd do it now?

Later, as he was walking back in the bullpen, he had a nasty feeling of déjà vu and a very bad case of flashbacks when he saw the two people whose boss he didn't want to be. Not even temporary.

"What did Vance want?"

Glancing at the two, Tony felt suddenly cold. He really didn't want to lead the team. Not this team. "Gibbs has some situation going on so he'll be gone for some time..."

"What..?"

"I'll be temporary team leader until then."

"Why?"

Tony felt his trigger finger twitch. "Because I am the Senior Field Agent, _probie_. Because I was the team leader last time. _Remember_? Do the words 'chain of command' say anything to you?"

McGee shared a look with Ziva. The two couldn't have said anything that would've made it more clear what they were thinking. The looks on their faces said more than words ever could.

Feeling a headache coming, Tony wiped a hand over his face. "Anyway... I just got a phone call. We have a case, so gear up..."

* * *

><p>By the time impressive ten months had passed, everything was falling apart and there still had not been one word from Gibbs. The only good thing so far had been that unlike during Jenny's time as the Director, this time there were no long term secret undercover missions. Something Tony could never be more grateful about. Everything else however...<p>

"Where's McGee and David?" He asked, walking in the bullpen with bunch of coffee with him.

The young Agent who was sitting behind his desk, shrugged. "They went on their coffee break, but they haven't returned yet..."

Glancing once towards the two empty desks, Tony sighed. It was rather obvious that the two had decided to go home in the middle of the day. Again. Months after months, with the two behaving like two _brats_ who didn't like that he was their boss, he was only a breath away from no longer protecting them and their jobs. What would happen if someone else had to work with them? It was why he had never sent their probie anywhere with either one of the two.

"Here." He gave the young man his coffee, before sitting down to work.

Work was pretty much all he did now, in order to keep their solve rate high as ever, and his desk was where he too often ended up falling asleep. More than he wanted to think, there had been times he could have gotten killed while working outside, simply because of the lack of sleep or because someone wasn't there watching his six.

"Well... The case is closed and we all need some sleep. Go home and come back tomorrow morning." He spoke to the man, who looked uncertain and then finally shook his head.

"Boss... May I speak freely..?"

Tony felt amused at the way this _kid,_ with huge puppy dog eyes, had put him on some sort of pedestal. Even after he at first came up with nicknames to go with the man's name, until the work finally took all the energy to even bother being creative like that. "Go on, Webster."

"I know _you_ barely go home..." Webster blushed, seeing the '_Is that so? Tell me more_' looks Tony gave him.

"And I know you give orders, not suggestions, but... With all respect, I think I will stay... Boss..."

Studying the man who kept swallowing under his gaze yet never moved or dropped his gaze from him, Tony hid his smile. Impressive. The probie could give McProbie a lesson on many things. Starting all the way from when McGee himself had been the probie.

"Alright..." Tony spoke gruffly and Webster smiled, a wide smile and relief written all over his face. Okay. Perhaps his skills _were_ a bit lacking on keeping one's emotions not so wide open for everyone to see...

Glancing once more towards his probie, before starting with the mountains of paper work, Tony spoke softly. "You're a good man, Webster. There isn't enough people like that... Keep it that way... It's easier than you think, losing your sense of right and wrong."

Webster looked up, but his boss was already focusing doing the work. He really couldn't understand _why_ the boss let the other two members of the team treat himself like this... And for some reason it didn't seem to matter how many complaints _he_ and any other people witnessing it all kept sending to the Director... What kind of place was this that would allow such..?

"Thank you, boss..." Webster knew he was still _very_ green, but he was determined to not let down the man who didn't seem to even realize he was looked up to by several other people. All who would have been happy to either have him as their boss or to have him work with or for them...

* * *

><p>"I see... No... No, it's fine... I guess I should have seen it coming from miles away, so it's my own fault... No, it's fine. You didn't know... Don't worry about that... It'll be fine... Thanks again for your hard work. I owe you one, man." Ending the phone call, Tony stared at his hands and the cellphone they were holding. Gibbs had indeed done it again... That bastard had been out of the country for months now. On some not so secret mission because some old friend of his had needed help.<p>

After not getting a word if their boss was even alive, Tony finally had enough and called in a few favors to find out what was going on. Some half-cooked excuse of a 'mission', out of some loyalty towards some old Marine friend whom Gibbs had only known for a few years many years ago. And that was fine and everything, but what hurt was how the man behaved as if he couldn't trust his own team, trust _him_, to help. To watch his six. However insane this whole 'mission' may be.

"You know. I actually really thought that we were past this... Stupid me..."

Jimmy looked up from the book which he was studying during his free time. "What did he do this time?"

"Oh you know. The usual. Decided that it's fine to not even let us know he's going somewhere in the first place... We had to find out from Vance of all the people... Coward... And not a word after all these months to let us know that '_Hey. I'm still alive. No need to worry. Sorry I left like that again. How are you doing? I hope you're not giving DiNozzo a hard time._' God forbid if any of _us_ does so much as not pick up any of _his_ phone calls... All the rules of his which he himself ignores whenever it suits his needs."

There was almost desperate look on Tony's face. "Is it just me? Am I overthinking everything? Maybe it's all in my head only... Am I asking too much from McGee and Ziva? Is that why they are rebelling against anything I tell them to do?"

Jimmy shook his head. "I know I've told it before, but I'm going to say it again: Take one of the job offers. Don't torture yourself like this anymore..."

"Jimmy..."

"I'm _serious_, Tony. You look horrible. You look like you belong to a hospital or worse and not working the way you are. And I most certainly don't want to see you inside one of our body bags. I'm pretty sure neither does Ducky. You know he's not getting any younger. Don't be the cause for another heart attack."

"Thanks man." Tony rolled his eyes and yawned.

"Get some sleep now. I _promise_ to wake you up this time." Jimmy pointed at the dark corner in the room with bunch of blankets where Tony had been taking his 'power naps' almost daily now.

"You better..." Tony glared playfully, before taking his place under the blankets. Usually he slept like a dog anyway, but last time he'd been so tired he slept so deeply that almost nothing could have woken him up. It was only after Webster came to look for him that he did finally wake up.

Barely had he laid his head down and he was gone like a light. Jimmy looked at him for a moment sadly before going back to his studies.

* * *

><p><em>It can't get much worse from this<em>. Thinking like that, perhaps he had asked for it. Maybe he shouldn't have let himself get so used to the way things now were.

"Abby. I'm sorry I forgot..." Tony sighed, staring at the upset goth standing next to his desk. The woman who had seemed to be in a bad mood ever since he had told what Gibbs had done, again. Seems that now she finally got to her breaking point. All because he had been way over his head with his workload.

For some reason their probie had been transferred to another team and with McGee and Ziva doing their work when it pleased them and the way they wanted to do it, it was all on him. Well, maybe that wasn't complete truth... Several other Agents from other teams had started secretly helping him out whenever they could. Not taking no for an answer. Didn't seem to matter how busy they themselves were. He could never be grateful enough for that...

"You _know_ I need my Caf-Pow! Gibbs would _never_-"

"Gibbs isn't here now, Abbs."

"Don't _you_ call me that!"

"Abby..." Tony stood up and pulled the woman into a hug and she started crying.

"I miss him so much, Tony..."

"Yeah, I know..." If the pictures of the old man in the lab weren't a clue enough, then he would've had to be blind.

"Why doesn't he even call me? Are you _sure_ he's okay? I mean, maybe he's hurt somewhere? Or even worse..."

"I'm sure." It took some time to calm her down and when it finally happened... His phone started ringing. The timing couldn't have been worse, but he didn't know it then.

"Your phone..." Abby mumbled, but made no move to step away from the hug.

Tony didn't answer. He was staring at the name on the screen. Taking in a shaky breath, he finally answered the call. More than anything almost, he was hoping it would mean the boss would finally return and that nothing was wrong. "Hey boss."

Abby's head snapped up and she finally stepped back. Staring at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah... We're fine..." Tony lied, frowning when Gibbs sounded strange. It also sounded like there was someone with him since he kept snapping at that someone while talking to him.

He decided now was not the time to start opening up his heart and he got straight to the point. "When will you come back..? Really? You sure about that?"

He made a face and took the phone away from his ear for a moment when Gibbs decided to snap at _him_ this time. "No, boss. I didn't mean anything by that. Just that you've been gone pretty long time and Abby misses you."

Tony frowned when he heard a gunshot. "Gibbs? Is everything alright in there?"

He couldn't stop himself from laughing at the answer he got. "_Really_, boss. I thought you know me better than that. I'm just worried... Look. I have _no idea_ what kind of bug has crawled up in your ass, but you're not the only one who's had a bad day."

Either it was him getting tired of pretending to be able to just keep being Gibbs's crap hole, to dump all his crap in, or then Gibbs just had needed someone for his venting. And hey, he was DiNozzo. Gibbs's loyal spit bucket. Everyone knew he could take anything.

Whatever the reasons were, it didn't really matter and neither of the two would later really even remember the details of it, but they ended up in a major shouting match over the phone. Both loud enough for everyone around to be able to hear. At the end of it Tony finally had enough and he finished the call by throwing the cellphone across the room, smashing it into pieces. After that there had been almost deadly silence in the bullpen. He did mutter an apology for losing it in there like that. Something which Gibbs would have never done had the man been there.

And then almost exactly two hours later came Fornell with two other Agents. He knew the time it took because it was the time it took for his two teammates to return from their coffee break.

As shocked and angry as the other Agents were for the FBI to be taking him with them because of some murder, _again_, but what shocked everyone even more was how Tony's teammates didn't do or say anything to even try to stop it from happening. And as much as Tony had seen and learned what they were capable of doing, this shocked even him. He didn't say anything as he just quietly stood up and walked to the Agents, leaving with them. He never saw the look on Fornell's face or noticed how the old man hesitated before taking him.

For several days Tony spent his time with the FBI guys and not locked up anywhere this time. For some reason Fornell seemed to think it was their job to make sure that he was both eating and sleeping. Even Slacks treated him like another human being. It was ironic how it was thanks to this situation that he was finally getting some much needed rest and eating some real food.

By the time he was declared innocent, he nearly begged for Tobias to make everyone else think he had left the city for a few days. He needed some time to think and decide what he should do with his life. To decide how to deal with the people in his life. How to deal with Gibbs. And he needed some time away from everyone.

He was so tired when he made it to his apartment that he never noticed the person standing further away, observing him. Calculating the next move.

_ **End of Part **1½**.  
><strong> _


End file.
